Twenty Years Later
by Fate's Second Apprentice
Summary: Time changes people and places. Twenty years after the revolution Panem is a different place. Watching Peeta and Katniss as they raise their kids as well as Gale in district 2. I'm planning for them to have kids so a bit of teenage romance as well as couple time with Peeta and Katniss because I like to think that even twenty years on they still need each other. Long story!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all. I'll make this quick as I know most people don't read it anyway. I'm impressed you clicked on this since the intro was a little stupid and my title isn't the best. But I've been thinking of this for a while and this is actually a reworked story so if you see anything you've seen before that was likely me. The plot starts out slowly but bear with it! Please...yeah..the END. **

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Chapter 1

District 12 had changed. Perhaps too much. Somehow he had imagined the home he had left behind, District 12 before it had been destroyed, but what he saw was a different place. The streets weren't the same, the place he assumed were the Victory Village was had been erased as everything about the Capitol had been, now small apartment houses were stacked on each other and children in old clothes played with a soccer ball. In the centre was a large hospital; to the side were the shopping centre and a museum. The only thing that was the same was the meadow.

He walked to it. Large expensive houses lined the street, houses that one would only even see in the ghost town of the Village, it felt wrong that they were here, in this place. Not many people were there, but the people that were made him falter. It had been years, too many, but their she was, old and tried looking. But happy, a smile on her face and next to her, Peeta Mella, together. Gale watched at the edge of the meadow his feelings making it all that harder, for he had thought he had forgotten, he thought he had moved on.

It was then, deep in his thoughts, that had little boy scrambled over and pointed at him. "You look funny," Gale blinked in surprise, then he frowned. "Rye! Leave the poor man alone," Peeta Mellark yelled from across the field, the boy named Rye looked at him with Seam eyes, the darkest grey, before hurrying back stumbling as he did. Gale bit him lip. Then shook his head, she was happy, there was no need for him to get involved. Besides she wouldn't recognise him, like the district he had changed as well.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It felt ironic now, the Vic had once been a place where only Capitol houses were places, all neat and in a line, but now it was more like the Seam. Only here they had three meals a day, and every other night. Still it was either working at a job or going out hunting, their was no both, especially with two children both hungry for food and Peeta's paintings weren't selling as they used too. It was either that people had once bought the things because they wanted something by Peeta Mellark, victor of District 12 and rebel, or that his paintings were no longer beautiful.

She refused to believe the latter, but that was what Peeta himself believed and it wasn't helping the financial situation. He slept less every night, which wasn't much to start with. She watched him rolled out of the bed and walk out of the room. After a few seconds she tossed the covered off her and pulled on a coat. She followed him to his usual spot on the couch as watched him turn on the TV. Sighing she pulled out the kettle and filled it with water. He didn't look at her, knowing what she was doing. "You should sleep, you don't need to stay up because of me," He said taking the cup of tea.

Katniss sat down next to him, sipping at the favoured water. "You know I can't." Then she felt his arm over hers, his face was long and sad. His lips moved but she could hardly hear him, what she did hear disturbed her, "…maybe we should have kept the winnings, you know, the ones from the…" His breathe caught and he sipped at his tea. She stared at him.

"We gave them up for a reason Peeta, how would you feel if we were living off the stuff that the Capitol gave us for killing other children. We would have to explain it to Lilac and Rye too, what will they think?"

"They have the right to know."

"But not now…not for a long time," Katniss soothed, turning to the TV, they were doing a segment on a big company, one that was revolutionising Panem. Though according the news it wouldn't be just Panem for very long. The country would soon become split into two.

"They tell them at school you know, they tell them everything. About the…you know, and about the Capitol. Wait…do you recognise that guy?" Peeta said as the man they had seen only a few days ago walked onto the screen, the volume was on low so she couldn't hear what they were saying but the name at the bottom of the screen didn't match the picture. The words were _Gale Hawthorne, _but the image was of a man in his twenties with pale skin, white blonde hair and blue eyes. They sat in shock as the man talked to the presenter.

Then the segment ended and an advertisement began. "Do you think…?" She started. Peeta shook his head and stood. Putting is cup onto the bench. He looked back at her, "It going to paint…maybe this time it'll look good."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The cake was good. Mackenzie Hawthorne thought as he ate it. It was very big and Mummy had said it wasn't to be eaten until later but it was just sitting their beckoning to him. He was already half way through it, and neither of parents were home yet. What did it matter? He'd just get the cook to make another one later. Mummy would forgive him. "Little scally-wagger." Mackenzie almost jumped from his seat, fork in hand. He let go of it and jumped away.

"Wasn't me!" He exclaimed wiping away the evidence on his face. Mummy laughed and ruffled his hair. "'Course it wasn't." She picked him up and tossed him over her shoulder. "Little cake eating scally-wagger's aren't welcome here. I'll have to take you far away." She walked into the kitchen, pausing only to request another cake to be made and the other one to be evened out and put it in the fridge. "Mummy!" He yelled, twisting in her iron grip.

"No, no. Bad boy's aren't allowed to call me mummy." Mummy said. "Now where should we put you? How about…the bin? No one will find you there!"

"No! No! No! Mummy! Mummy! Daddy! Daddy! Help me! Mummy is-" Suddenly Mummy dropped him to the floor, and cupped his mouth. "Zee-zee, calling reinforcements is against the rules. Here comes the tickle-monster." She held him down his her hand and tickled him in all his ticklish spots. "Mummy! Stop please!" He gasped between fits of laugher, his face was hurting from trying to suppress it.

"Will we eat the cake next time?"

"Yep!" More tickling. "No! No! No eating! I promise!" Then she stopped and picked him up.

"Now you look all dishevelled. You're going to have to get changed. Come on," He followed her up the stairs.

"Mummy? Mummy, who's coming? Why are we in dis-tick tillve?" Mummy smiled and said. "Your cousins of course, they're coming over, some of them are victors from the Hunger Games, so be very respectful, ok?"

"Ok, Mummy, I will."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was bunch at the Hawthorne house. Though technically not related the children of the Hawthorne's and the Mellark's considered themselves cousins in every way except from calling them that. It was during this that the phone went off. "Would you get that Lilac, darling?" Hazelle asked looking up. Even old as she was, skin rough from years of hard work Hazelle was still as young as ever. She watched as a child that felt like her granddaughter hurried to the phone on the wall. Lilac pulled a chair over and climbed it, she picked it up and answered.

"Hello. Hawthorne residence, laundry of all shapes and sizes, and everything in between, how may I help you?" Lilac chimed with a smile. Even at the age of five she was the best phone girl of the business. "Yes…yes…she's here…of course!" With a squeal Lilac hurried over the Hazelle and handed her the phone. "A man want's to talk to you, says he know you." Hazelle smiled slamming the bread pan onto the bench and lifting it up. The bread was dark and covered with sultanas, prepared by Peeta an hour before.

"Thank you, darling." She picked up the phone, "Hello? Hazelle here."

"Mother? It's been a while. Can we talk?" Hazelle froze in surprise. It had been almost five years since she had had a call from her eldest son, another twelve since she had seen him. _He must be a middle aged man by now. He's missed so much. _

"Mother? That's sounds distanced. Call me Mum Gale, or don't call me at all." There was a silence on the phone and Hazelle realised how that must have sounded after so long. She began to talk again but the voice continued on the other end of the phone.

"I'm sorry, I've been so busy…are you doing anything later? I'm staying in the district; I was hoping to talk…face to face. Catch up…"

"You're in District 12? Right now?"

"Yes…I-"

"Of course I'm free Gale! I haven't seen you for so long. But first, have I got any grand children? Hmm…Gale, this is a serious matter." She said laugher in her voice.

"Yeah…about that…well, I guess if you come over you can find out?"

"This afternoon you say? Where are you staying, the Old Queen's Head?"

"Mmhmm." He said in acknowledgement. "Room 20, can you come alone?"

"Well, I'm with everyone right now, so I think we can all come over." There was a silence. "Gale is there something wrong?"

"No...No…It's fine. If they want to, they can come." He said, his voice resigned, "I'll see you then. Thank you for everything." The phone went dead and Hazelle frowned. Walking over to the phone holster she slid it away. Turning back to the bread she took it out to the living room.

"Who was that, Mum?"

"Gale, Gale, just called. He's back. Gale's back."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Gale paced the room. His thought anxious. All of them. At once. He had hoped to talk to his mother alone explaining to her why he looked half his age. Why he had changed the colour of his eyes, his hair. Why he had changed, if he thought about it. The door slammed closed and he looked around. At the door Mackenzie was looking very guilty as he locked it. Gale came over, he supposed if he had a like kid like Mackenzie there it would be ok, but like always Chryssa had dressed him like a little doll and he wasn't sure his family would like him like that. "Are they here? Did you see them?"

Surprised he was caught Mackenzie jumped and turned around; with wide eyes he opened his mouth. "I didn't do anything wrong." Gale smiled and ruffled his son's hair. There was a knock at the door and Mackenzie jumped again. He run out of the room, up the stairs and Gale heard his room's door close. Sighing, trying to suppress his nerves Gale took the door handle. After everything he had done, started a multi-district company, talked in front a thousand people about almost every topic anyone could think of, but when it came to his family he couldn't take the idea that he would even be seen…he felt as if he were naked in a snow storm.

He collected himself for the last time and opened the door. What he saw was a sight he hadn't seen for over twelve years. He opened his mouth, "Mother…" suddenly he was taken in by a large hug. Gasping as his chest was suddenly crushed he saw the look of absolute shock on each of his siblings faces. Standing behind Rory was a black hair, grey eyed girl who looked about ten. _She looks like Harper did at that age, so Rory finally asked her, huh?_

"Gale?" Posy said, her face confused, his mother released him from her grip, her hands on her shoulder. Gale looked away from her analysing eyes. Rory was shaking his head. "Not fair…Not fair Gale. Why is that you get show up here looking pretty in the best room of this place? Honestly bro, where you been?" Rory pulled himself into a manly hug. Feeling as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulder Gale moved to the side and gestured for them to come in.

He looked up the stairs to see Mackenzie's curious eyes staring at him. He jumped up and scurried away when he saw Gale, Gale rolled his eyes with a smile and came back into the room. "Would you like anything? Chryssa went a little over board with the food, she wants to make a good impression…Though don't tell her I said that." Rory moved over and slung his hand over his brother's shoulder.

"Who's this Chryssa? Huh? Tell us…"

"_I'm _his wife, though why I ever married you I have no idea. Now get over here, I'm looking for Mackenzie. Where is he?"

"Upstairs, hiding,"

"Of course he's hiding! Where upstairs?"

"Um…on the top of them."

"Really," Chrysie waved at the guests then hurried up the stairs. "Here I come! I'm going to win!" Gale turned to his brother with a straight face. "That was Chryssa. As she pointed out…we got married. A while ago." Then he noticed Vick's face. "Don't look like that, she's only a few years younger than me." Then Chrysie returned a smile on her face and she seemed to notice the guests.

"Holy Snow. I'm so sorry about that…I was…oh what does it matter? You hate me don't you, no don't say it. It's ok. I'm fine. I'll just…go outside…bye." Gale hurried after her.

"Chrysie, they don't hate you. Don't go outside." She looked at him blankly. Then at the others and sighed, "Fine, I'll get the cake." With that she left the room and went to the kitchen. Gale frowned and walked over to his family. "Do you want to sit down?" He asked his mother. She smiled an odd smile and nodded.

"Lead the way."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Mackenzie! Cake!" Mackenzie's head came from out of his legs. He wiped his eyes forgetting his tears almost as soon as they had appeared. He ran down the stairs. The wait had been almost too unbearable, but it had been worth it he decided as he stared at the mega-huge-big-brown-mud-fudge-cake. Chocolate icing whipped into swirls. His mouth broke into a huge smile. He grabbed the cake from Mummy's hands. Picked up a fork, stabbed the cake and opened his mouth as big as it would go.

One of the strangers opened their mouth's too but Mackenzie thought that maybe they were going to say something. He ate the extra-specially-big piece in three bites and held up his plate to Mummy. "More please." Mummy tossed another piece on to the plate and Mackenzie sat down on the couch next to Daddy. He ate the cake quicker than any of the other people and had fourzies and would have had fifthzies but the last little piece was taken by the man Daddy had called Uncle Rory.

He glared at the man as the adults talked. The girl next to him was still eating her first piece. He looked at it keenly. "If you're not going to have it, can I?" Mackenzie held out his hand at the girl. She looked up from the cake looking a bit sick. "The cake can I have it?" The girl looked down at the cake and shook her head. Mackenzie frowned and slipped off the couch. "But you don't want it."

"No, no. I'll eat it. It's a bit rich for me." Mackenzie looked at the girl for a second. His little fists curled up. Suddenly Mummy grabbed him and pulled him back to the couch. "Aah!" He gasped. She put her mouth right to his lips and whispered, "Remember what we said before Zee-zee. You have to be respectful. Now if you really want some more cake, the cook still has the one you ate before. But aren't you feeling a bit full? Maybe you want some other snacks instead, ok?"

"Ok." Mackenzie said, feeling too tired to argue. When the people left he snugged in Mummy's lap and nibbled at a sugar stick. "I think that went well." He said to her as she flipped through the channels on the TV. Mummy smiled and nodded. "Yes, I think it did too."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Lilac pressed her school uniform flat on her bed. It was a tartan dress, white and blue with a button on tie and a white collar. She stepped back examining it with pride. Her shiny black shoes with running soles were underneath the dress. She couldn't keep a smile off her face. Dad came in knelt next to her. "You're not going to put it on, princess?" Lilac shook her head.

"No, I'm going to put it on later; I wanna save it till I go to school." Dad smiled and hugged her. He looked over the uniform with tears in his eyes. She touched his face. "What's wrong daddy?" He looked down.

"Nothing, Lilac," Then he stood. "Do you want to help me paint?" She lit up and smiled.

"Really?" He nodded and they hurried out of the room. She took his hand as they stepped down the front yard stairs. It was a little hut, one roomed made of old wood that looked like it was about to fall down, but it had always looked like that. On the walls half-finished painting hung solitary soldiers. He pulled out a piece of paper. "Now do you want to help me think of an idea?"

"But dad, don't you have ideas?" She pointed at the painting on the wall. He followed her finger, at the wall and sighed. "Not those Lye-li. I want us to do it together. You and me. How about it?" Lilac bit her lip and nodded. Dad pulled out pencils and she started to colour in pictures of butterflies, of rainbows with little short people hording gold at the bottom. She looked at her dad, he was pouring himself over his paper it was blank. She looked around at the paintings on the wall. She pointed at one of them. "I like this one daddy."

He looked up and blinked. He frowned at her selection. "You're mum…no one will by that Lye-li. No one wants…pick a different one, ok? What about this? This is what the sea looks like in district 4." She strained her neck to see a large painting of rolling hills meeting brilliant blue. "But, dad, I like this one. I think she looks pretty. But daddy…why is she sleeping with flowers on her? Is she sick?" Her dad dropped to his knees and hugged her.

"She's not sick Lilac. She's…she's dead." There was the sound of coming.

"Katniss! Peeta! Guess what Gale's home!"

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**In this chapter I wanted to do a Rue reference because I considered naming Lilac 'Rue' but I already had the boy named Rye and that was too similar and I like the name Lilac so I think she needed a chapter. Love you Rue. **


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Katniss felt the smoothness of the wood. Deadly when combined. Powerless without. She stood, the arrow naturally nocking its self into the bow string and bow. The arrow slid out of the bow. She felt herself fell stronger. "Katniss! Peeta! Guess what Gale's home!" Katniss fell short at the sound of Hazelle's voice. She turned around surprised and slung her bow over her back. She hurried to the back yard, through the house and she opened the door. She stared at the man that had the words _Gale Hawthorne _under him only two days before.

He lifted up his hand and waved at her, as if not a day had passed. As if they were still school kids back in the days that they hunted to survive. Back when they understood each other better than they understood themselves. There was a suddenly anger in her and she looked down at him. Standing beside his mother; who looked over the moon. Peeta came out of the hut, followed closely behind by Lilac.

Katniss ignored them and stormed over to Gale. She stopped in front of him looking over the face that was so familiar but looked so strange. "So you grew some balls huh?" He looked at her, not responding. "Come on, got anything to say about yourself? Cat got your tongue?"

"You got old…" He said. Katniss stared at him, her mouth open.

"_Excuse me?"_

"Sorry, that didn't come out right. You look…nice. It's been a while, it nice seeing you." Then he turned his head to Peeta and nodded to him. "And you too." He looked down at Lilac. "You had a kid!" He said in shock.

"Two actually. Her name is Lilac, Rye is sleeping."

"Mummy!" The sound of Rye waking up schoed from the house.

"Well, he was sleeping." They stood awkwardly until Gale stepped back and pushed forward a little boy who looked ready to run away at that very moment. "His name is Mackenzie. Mackenzie say hi."

"H-h-hello, are you Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire?"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

He could tell he'd said something wrong because Daddy was looking nerves like the angry woman would hit him, and the silly looking pale man with blonde hair was looking like he'd just eaten a cake that he thought was chocolate but instead it was carrot flavour **(shocked). **In the corner the ugly – probably crawling with coodies – girl was frowning. "So you are? That's cool. Mummy says you a hero."

"That's right she is. So is your Dad." The tall man said moving over. He knelt down in front of Mackenzie, who looked at him surprised. His eyes looked funny, like…like they were natural. Then Mackenzie looked up at Daddy who rolled his eyes. Mackenzie looked at the tall man again, "Why? Did Daddy do the Hunger Games too?" There was a deep silence.

"No, Mackenzie," Daddy said picking him up, this time he didn't protest. "If Daddy did it, Mummy would have told you already. You're very silly." Then Daddy looked at his Mummy and smiled. "I should go," He glanced at the three people, a little toddler was at the door war to the shack. "It was nice seeing you." Then Daddy put him down and they walked away quickly.

"Daddy…Daddy I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, I can't believe I let my mother convince me to do that."

"Daddy, don't you like your Mummy?" Daddy smiled and patted his head.

"I love my Mummy, now how about we go home?"

"You mean to dis-tick 2?"

"Yeah…home to district 2."

"Yay!" Mackenzie yelled running a head, "When we get home can I play _KRILL?_" Daddy looked at him very seriously and said. "No, Mackenzie that's a big kid's game."

"But Daddy! Please! Please! I really wanna play it."

"Gale!" Someone called Daddy's other name, and they both turned around. The angry woman was panting and now she was talking to Daddy. Mackenzie was too far away to hear what she was saying, but she didn't look so angry anymore. Daddy smiled and said, "Cat-nip," which was a funny thing to say and Daddy called Mackenzie over. The woman looked at him and smiled, "Mackenzie Hawthorne, that's a cute name you have there."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The swings were her place. Lilac and her friends came down before everyone else in the class and ran right to them, sending out Franklin to get all our food so they could stand guard. The swings were their place. At least they were. Today they were getting knocked down. Unlike when they protected the swings from the other kids the five of them stood watching, powerless. They had come during the holidays, while other kids were talking with their parent's and have birthday parties to the playground, to grieve.

"Hey! Look at those kids; don't they know its holidays?" A stupid older kid yelled from across the street. Then their friends laughed and moved away. Jasper dropped to his knees, bowing his head. "I will always treasure your memory. We had such great times." His voice cracked and he pulled out a eye dropper. Tears now coming out of his eyes he gripped onto eth metal fence. "Oh! The pain! The pain is just too much."

"I hate those kids." Franklin muttered, watching the older kids walk away.

"Yeah, older kids are so stupid. You know my teacher said that all grade sixers act like pre-schoolers." Jack said a smile on his face. Jack didn't normally pay attention in class, and the only time he did was when the teacher wasn't saying anything important, though it wasn't like Lilac could say any otherwise, most of the time she wasn't even in the classroom instead spending half her school days in the principal's office.

"Pre-schoolers are stupid." Zack, Jack's twin, said.

"Ex-act-tally," Jack said. "Older kids, and younger kids, they're all stupid."

**Not a lot happening in this chapter, more of just some foregrounding and stuff. By the way, the story just had a two year time skip, I tried to make it obvious but yeah…**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"That one…that one…that…that…and that," Mackenzie's finger came to point to a box, the one different this time was that someone was already holding it. The boy looked at him; he was alone holding the box. Mackenzie's caretaker leaned over and smiled at the boy. "Honey, where did you get that?" The boy frowned and pointed at an empty section on the row of toys. The caretaker's eyes widened.

Mackenzie stepped over to the boy and held out his hand. "Give it to me." The boy held the box up and shook his head. "No way, I've been saving up for this forever." Mackenzie frowned, "Can I please have that?" The boy scowled at him. "I just told you, no. It's mine." Mackenzie bit his lip and curled his fists. Suddenly the other caretaker was in front of him.

"Master Mackenzie look at this? Its brand knew. You don't need that old thing." Mackenzie looked at the woman flatly. "I want it." He said simply. Then he looked at the toy in her hand. "I want both." The caretaker looked stunned but he ignored her. Reaching his hands out her grabbed the box for the boy's hand. The boy pulled back, but Mackenzie's grip was strong. "I want it. Give it to me." Then he added. "Please," because that's what Mum and Dad always told him to say.

"No."

"Now, now, what is going on here?" the store owner came over. He was dressed in his usual affair, which was only normal for him, pinstriped suit with fake flower coming out his breast pocket and streamers hanging from his belt. "Hello, mister shopkeeper." Mackenzie waved at him and the man grinned. "What seems to be the problem?"

"He won't give me the last toy." The shopkeeper looked over the boy, who was looking around the shop, probably looking for his parents. The boy called over a woman. "Mama, I found." The woman was young, the proper younger, not the other young. She smiled and said, "That's great! Why hello, are you buying something too?" The woman leaned over and grinned at Mackenzie he suck out his tongue.

"Not unless he gives it too me," Mackenzie turned to the shopkeeper. "I want it, if I don't get it I won't buy anything from you ever again." The man masked his surprise but he had the same expression as the caretakers. The first one leaned over to the shopkeeper and whispered, "Please, sir, if Mackenzie complains to his parents I might be out of the job. I have two kids." The shopkeeper smiled and took the box from eth boy's hand and gave it to Mackenzie.

"Here you are? See, just for you, now don't forget to come back you hear?" Mackenzie and nodded, the shopkeeper grinned again and bowed to the woman. "My sincerest apologies, may I offer you reimbursement? Or would another toy interest thing young lad here?" The woman gave the shopkeeper an odd look and looked down at her son. "Quentin we can just get in later, come on."

"But Mama!" The boy exclaimed, his mouth hanging open. The woman took the cash that the shopkeeper was offering and started to drag her son out of the store. "I had it first Mama." She pulled him close and then the boy slumped and her turned back glaring at Mackenzie, "Spoiled brat!"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Hello." Mackenzie almost jumped. A pink haired student was leaning over the bench. "What are you doing?" Mackenzie cocked his head and looked at her a bit confused.

"I'm playing a game."

"Oh really? What game is that?"

"KRILL: The Quarter Quell."

"Isn't that for other thirteen year olds?" Mackenzie shrugged. The girl moved around the bench and sat down next to him. "Do you mind if I sit here?" He shook his head. "You can." They sat in silence. The girl watching the lake, swans drifted across the pristine water, Mackenzie played his game, after all he was about to win. "Is that the Ivawa Primary School uniform?"

"Most of it," Mackenzie told her. He smiled a bit then his character died. "WHAT?" He stared at the screen. A replay of his death tracked around. The tribute from district four who was supposed to be a kid Finnick had come and stabbed him in the back with a trident. Mackenzie growled and threw the game at the swans. They scattered. The girl looked a bit taken back. "I lost." Mackenzie told her simply.

"Oh yeah," She said, she understood. He looked at her closer now, "I probably have to get another console now. Do you want to come? I'll buy you an icecream." The girl looked at him with a odd smile and then nodded. "Sure, I'd love an icecream." Mackenzie got up and they walked down the path. "You're a cute kid, you know that?"


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Dad, what does spoiled mean?" Gale turned around and found himself staring at his son, holding a magazine. "Why do you ask?"

"Is it good?"

"Well…no."

"So it's bad." Gale looked at his son confused. "Why are you asking? Did someone say something to you?"

"No. Well…a few days ago this kid called me a spoiled brat, but my friends showed me this article and it has my name at the top. Then I have a whole page, it even has a picture of me. See?" The boy held it up and pointed at the picture that was very much his son and next to it, _No.1 Mackenzie Hawthorne. _"But dad, is being spoiled a good thing?"

"Umm…well, it depends on the circumstance." He took the magazine from his son and scanned the article. "See here, they say you're spoiled with love. Just means you have loving parents, that's all. This isn't a thing you should worry about, ok?" Mackenzie didn't seem to believe him but sighed and nodded. "Ok, Dad, I won't worry." Gale looked down at the page again. _What the heck is this? Allowance is infinity? I don't think..._

"I'm home!" Chryssa yelled from the other end of the house. Gale put the magazine in the bin, honestly, what did they know about Mackenzie away? "Hey, Kenzie, look what I bought you." Gale came into the entrance and suddenly something that had been common place for many years became very, very concerning. "Chrysie, can we talk?" Chryssa looked up and smiled.

"What is it?" He gestured with his head, _alone. _"Ok, coming. Kenzie go put this on ok?"

"Alright," The boy took the shoes – complete with wheels in the back and a famous singer's brand written all over it – and hurried away to the nearest bathroom. Chryssa was smiling now. "I still can't believe we have him." Gale hesitated, his words halting at his tongue. She looked at him and embraced him. "Chrysie, Mackenzie told me something today, I think…maybe…"

"Don't give me that face," She pressed her finger into his forehead. "Honestly honey, you look like I just came in dressed like Mr Willas." Gale couldn't help but crack a smile.

"That is an odd analogy,"

"Maybe a bit," Then the phone rang and Chrysie kissed him before hunting through her bag for it. Gale sighed. It didn't matter what anyone thought about him, or his son, as long as his family were alive and healthy. That was all that mattered.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

They were invited to the event that announced the splitting of two half of Panem, maybe forever. What was the worst part? Her once in a lifetime opportunity to show everything her and her friends had trained for, all gone to waste because her parents had agreed to come to the middle of district 6. In wasn't cod and it wasn't warm and Lilac was standing either hot under her jumper or feeling a faint coolness if she didn't have it on.

The people here were all dressed way better than she was, and it didn't help that Rye that slipped his drink all over his shirt so now he was wearing a big yellow one with the words _I 3 Clarmtown, _and a huge moving picture of a cow across it. Her parents were laughing and smiling with people they had never met. Standing next to the three people in business suit was a boy drinking the expensive fruit drink Lilac had wanted earlier. He looked more bored than she was.

Lilac stood up and looked at Rye, sucking on his thumb, slobber everywhere. She rolled her eyes and went over to talk to the boy. One of the mean waved at her but she didn't recognise her. "Lilac, you remember Gale?" The man smiled at her confusion. "It's fine; Mackenzie didn't remember either of you either." The boy glanced at her parents then at Lilac and shrugged. He sipped at his drink.

"What?" He asked her. She scrunched up her lips. "Wha'd you mean what?"

"Why are you staring at me?"

"I'm not staring at you, I'm just…thirsty." The boy raised his eyebrow, "And you want some of my drink."

"No. Where'd you get that idea?" He looked over her with distain. She recognised that look and she didn't like it. Glaring at him she tensed her body, here it comes, the fist throwing that her parents that made her leave behind. Because this year she had been invited to Brittney Justinian's party and she hated Brittney with a passion. It was going to be perfect; they'd been planning for weeks. Now she was hear without her friends, add her parents and little brother. Rolling his eyes the boy looked away.

"Dad, I'm bored."

"Play a game." The boy looked at his dad like he couldn't believe the man had just said that. "I don't want to, unless they sell better games here than they do back in District 2. Which I seriously doubt," His dad looked apologetically at her parents, one of the business suit people, a woman with gold looking hair, rolled her eyes. "How about you play with Lilac? Go on, show her your hover-board."

"But Dad…"

"Go on."

"Dad can't I have my credit card back? _Please,_" His dad's expression flattened. "No."

"But Mum would let me have it!"

"Mum's not here." Annoyed the boy glared at his dad. "Fine," he said. Tossing a small metal piece of metal, it hit the ground and expanded. Then in one movement he jumped on and pushed off, racing away. His dad sighed. "Sorry about that, he gets bored easily," Then as if the whole thing was best forgotten he changed the topic. "I was thinking about spending a few weeks in District 12, actually I was considering buying a house there. It would probably be easier. Especially if I make my visits regualar."

"What about that big job you have in District 2?"

"Oh…no, it's fine, I'm not that involved anymore. My main concern was this but it's all over, which is good. How about you? Why are you two doing these days?" Her dad glanced at her. "We might be leaving the district." Lilac stared at him.

"What? Why?" The man asked. His business friends stared to move away, muttering about a 'start'.

"No money, got two kids, and there aren't a lot of options." The man nodded, his eyes going over his two business suit friends. "I'm sure you'll find something…you survived the Hunger Games after all. And just get I started to think we could get to know each other better, I mean, again." Lilac looked at the man. Who was he? Again? Hunger Games?

"Excuse me, is this your son?" Lilac almost jumped. A very, very tall man stood towering over her. His skin was dark and his head was bald. He had wrinkles from a long life of hard work. In his hand was the boy, dripping with water, hanging like a ragdoll. Gale shook his head. "No, I don't know who he is." The police man frowned and pushed the boy forward a bit. "You are Gale Hawthorne right? Because I know this kid is Mackenzie Hawthorne."

"Why are you wet?" Lilac asked. The boy snorted. "None of your business,"

"It was a bit of a joke…never mind, why, Mackenzie, are you wet?" The boy didn't say anything, but the police man did. "I found him with pockets full of-" Suddenly the boy stopped being so limp and swung his fist at the police man. It hit that man in the stomach. The police man didn't seem to be hurt but suddenly he yanked the boy up so he could look at him face to face. The boy didn't seem intimidated, Lilac knew she was, not that she would admit it…"Attacking a peacekeeper is a very serious crime, boy," Gale stepped forward.

"Now, now, he's just a kid, he doesn't know any better." He glanced back. "You should wait here, go on, mingle, have fun. I hope you do move districts too soon." Taking the hint her parents moved off, taking her hand. They found Rye digging a hole. Brilliant.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Do you even care? Our son is a brat!"

"I care that you seem to believe everything you hear from other people! Just look at him, would you? He's a nice, polite boy." Mummy pointed her finger at Dad's chest, her face red. "Maybe he doesn't live in a shack of a house in district two, struggling for food every day, but that doesn't make him spoiled, if you honestly think that…well…Mackenzie?" Mackenzie jumped and closed the door, hurrying down the halls.

"Mackenzie! Come back." He ignored them, circling the banister and hurrying up the stairs. A servant opened the door for him and he ordered them to go away. Seeing Mummy he slammed the door and locked it. "Mackenzie…it's not what you think." He stayed silent. "Mackenzie, let mummy talk to you, it doesn't matter what other people think about you, ok?"

"Does Daddy not love me?"

"He loves you…please open the door…Mackenzie?" He unlocked it. The door slowly swung towards him and his mother hugged him. "If your dad says anything…come to me alright?" Mackenzie nodded. Suddenly his mum sobbed. He tried to push away but she held him firm. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't be…I love you, ok? That's all that matters. I love you." Her tears felt cold on his cheek and suddenly she stood, letting him go. Now she was smiling, and she patted his head. "Don't worry, everything will turn out fine." Then she was gone, along the hall and down the stairs.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Ok. You understand what you have to do? See those two old people standing at the information stand. Go up to them," The boy was named Mikael. He looked over the crowd from their recess. Lilac nodded a confident smile on her face. "Goddit Boss." She saluted him and climbed down. She dropped to the pristine grass of the museums entrance and moved towards the crowd. Just as she reached the fancy artistic fence she pulled out the broken mirror Mikael's girlfriend had given her, it killed three birds with one stone and she felt like she was already part of the team, even if today wasn't over yet.

Her reflection wasn't her normal appearance. Her face was rubbed with dirt, she had an old bandage wrapped over her left eye, her hair was cut short and rough, she had worried about what her mum would say when she saw it but soon it hadn't mattered. The team were her family too, a family that worked together for the common good. If she passed this, she'd been an official member. She smiled, she looked perfect. Then she hurried through the crowd, watching the guards as they circled the area.

She stumbled on purpose when she got close, willing for them to notice. We they didn't she stood pulling out the pan. She went to the people in front of them, holding out the pan. "Excuse me, Good Miss, would you be able to spare some money-" The woman scowled at her. "And give it to a disgusting creature like you? Hardly," She watched the woman walk away, her hands began to shake and she let the metal slip. It clanged on the cement.

"Oh, child let me help was with that." Lilac turned to the old couple, looking stunned. The old man picked up her pan and shook it. "You shouldn't be out here begging, especially to people like that. Here, I don't have much money but will this do?" The old man handed her a few notes. She took them thankfully. "Thanks mister." Then she looked down at the money and widened her eyes. "Mister…missus…this is so nice. I gotta repay you."

"Oh, no, no, charity has its own rewards." The old woman said with a smile.

"But please missus." She took the woman's hand, stuffing the cash into her pocket, and led her through the crowd. Her partner followed Lilac lean the couple pasted the fancy fence and into the garden. She hurried over to a bush were flowers were growing and picked them. Turned she held them out to her. "Here." The old woman took the flowers just as a brick hit her shoulder and she fell to the floor. The old man was knocked out by Mikael girlfriend Shannon.

"Good job, Lye." Shannon told her and Lilac smiled. "You just became a member."

"Hey, look, Shae, we hit the jackpot with these oldies." He pulled out a expensive looking set of keys, cards and other things from the woman's handbag. "Quick, guys, before the guards see us. Oh, man. Lilac, I knew you'd been a good luck charm."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Peeta dropped to the floor. He was so tried. So, so tired, but it didn't matter he couldn't sleep. Worry filled his dreams, even awake he couldn't bear to look at Lilac or Rye. He felt so guilty. Katniss was the only one with a steady job, if he could just convince someone he was a good worker he would be fine, but his brother's bakery had closed due to competition years ago; his family had shipped out of the district not long after. Maybe…maybe he should too. He had told Gale he would. They had been talking about it for years now, yet they stayed.

_This is our home. _

He moved through all the unfinished canvas. So much money washed, yet he hadn't even been able to complete them, let alone sell them. "Dammit." He felt his hand go over a small image, the green so vivid, he had mad his own paint for this. He hadn't really paid attention to Rue in the…but he hadn't needed too. Katniss was all he needed, and a bit of research, painful research, the reason why he couldn't finish it. He picked it up moving over to the pile of old paints. He picked up a brush and began to paint.

He was so absorbed in the work that he didn't notice Katniss, "Yes?" He yelled. "Peeta can you come see this? Lilac had gone and cut her hair with a lawnmower!"

"Katniss, I'm…I'm painting, can you bring her hear?" There was no response, then, "That's fine! I won't disturb you. Come on young lady, I'm going to give you a haircut before you go to school." Lilac's peed came echoing through the shack. "But Mum! It looks cool." Peeta smiled to himself and looked down to his painting and with shock he realised he had finished it.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Mackenzie wasn't sure what so say, he'd never had two rooms. Never had two houses. Never had two families. His mummy was smiling. Earlier she had picked him up and tickled him like she used to but Mackenzie found it hard to be that happy. Wasn't she upset? He knew Dad was upset, he knew she had been, but know she was smiling, turning up the music up low singing along to the old tunes. _Somebody out there loves you so, and when they come home you'll never be alone…_

His mum dropped him on the bed. New and full of pillows. Outside a view of most of the district stretched out. His mum smiled at him and spun around. "Do you like it?" He sat up and looked at her, his smile faltering. "Mummy…I…I like it." He told her seeing her expression. She crawled onto the bed. "Now I only get you for this week before you go to your dad's so I think we should spend it how you want to, ok?"

"Can we…can we play Doubt?"

"Doubt?" She asked, her face creased, he rolled off the bed and pulled out a pack of cards from his toys. "It's a card game, my friends taught it too me," He sat back down and opened the box. The cards fell to the cover in order and he has it shuffle itself. "What you do is you have the deck split up, without the jokers and then you have to put down a group of cards that is either the same or one difference to what I say I put down. Like this. Three 6s," He put down three 6s. "And you can either put down a five, six or a seven. If I think your lying than I call doubt and you have to pick up the pile."

"That's an odd game, so you win if you're the best liar?" He smiled, he knew the trick that she didn't, because he had all the cards she didn't. "Yep, and I think I'm better than you Mummy."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Gale watched her walk passed. She was alone; at last, it was perfect. Yet he couldn't move. He stared as she made the distance between them further. Then just before she was out of view he called out to her. He stepped out as she turned around. She looked surprised to see him; they hadn't talked in six months, not even when Mackenzie had celebrated his eighth birthday. He stepped towards her, trying to hide his feelings. She moved towards him, he couldn't read her expression. "I'm sorry…" He couldn't finish the sentence, he was sorry for so many things.

"Gale, I…"

"Don't say anything." He knelt, pulled out a slightly flatten flower, freshly picked. "I, ah, lost the ring but…Chrysie will you marry me…again?" She laughed, tears streaming out of her eyes. Then she was on her knees. It was exactly like there first time, except then he had only known her for a few mouths. "I'm sorry, Gale, so sorry."

"I love you."

"I know…but, Gale, you're too late. Rian…he proposed to me this morning, and I…and I said yes." Gale stared as she pulled a ring from her pocket, large and incrusted with diamonds, compared to his flower Gale could understand her decision, at least he man hadn't lost the ring twice. He only condolence was that she hadn't put the ring on, he forced a smile. "Congratulations, I should give the man a few pointers." Chryssa rose with him, holding her shoulders, tears falling freely.

"You should have asked me weeks ago."

"No, I shouldn't have ever let you go." Then he leaned in and kissed her cheek. He dropped the flower into her hands and walked back the way he came. Suppressing the need to go home, to pull out the bow and arrow he hadn't used in years and shoot something…or someone. "Be good to her, Rian Turnboat, you better good to her."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

When the car rolled up the drive his dad was waiting. Mackenzie opened the door and got out wondering what his dad wanted. When he got to the top of the steps his dad was smiling. "Don't give me that look," Mackenzie smiled because his dad never said that if he was in trouble. "Come on, I have something to show you," Mackenzie nodded, wondering what it was; it had been a long time since his dad had said that to him.

They walked through the half open doors and into the first living room. He looked around, nothing seemed have changed too much. He had explored the entire house in the last six months. His dad pulled out a smooth black card. "Here, I shouldn't have taken this from you. You're a good kid, and now you have to live with two different families, so this is me saying sorry, alright?" He took the card not really understanding, "I love you Mackenzie, told ever leave me, and I would ever leave you, that's a promise." His dad hugged him then looked him in the face. A loose strand of brown hair curled over his face. "Ok, I have a meeting now, so you can play cards or something right? Good, ok, dammit it's later than I thought..."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

It wasn't a big wedding. A hundred people all sitting and watching as his mum and Rian waited for him to bring the rings. He was happy that his mum was happy, but when he got to the front he gave his mummy the rings, she took Rian's and gestured with her eyes for him to pass the other to Rian. His mouth twitched but he remembered what his mother had promised and shoved the pillow at him. The man forced a smile and took the other ring.

Then Mackenzie sat down on the stage, a staff member took the pillow away. He activated his music and watched the crowd as pop songs played in his eyes, no one could tell, no one could hear, but he could see everyone else, all the bored faces, the faces of people who had opted for the cheap hair brands and were wearing masks instead of having their faces cleaned of any blemish. Luckily no one in the room was poor enough to make every one so disgusted by being overweight. Mackenzie pull out his phone, tapping it without looking, understanding the sensations that came when he moved his fingers.

He viewing system opened up over his eyes, he set it to clear. The robot flew into the room. He cloaked it. Nobody noticed. He made it go over to the worst looking person in the room, an older man who had had either been too poor or too much of a scrooge to use the age stopping technology, instead he had reversed his appearance so many times his face he could hardly move it. The small plane moved over to his head, a mess of blue and green.

The plane slowly descended onto his head and he projected a hologram of a spider on his head. It climbed into the vision of the woman next to him. She almost screamed, but supressed it and choked instead, in shock she leaned too far to the side. The person next to her was pushed off the pew and into a little flower girl, who was standing near. Then others began to notice the crawling spider, including the man. He jumped in his seat when it began to crawl over his face. Mackenzie couldn't supress a giggle. The bride's maid looked at him and he stopped laughing.

Then the man, seeing the unrest quickened his words and called for their union. He kissed her, and she kissed back. Mackenzie was distracted however, his plans to poke his tongue out at Rian while he was looking Mackenzie's way were ruined as a group of guards came down, wearing suits, holding neutralisers. He deactivated the spider and sped the plane to the other end of the room, but they hit the robot before it could make it two metres. He glared at the fallen machine, what a piece of crap!

The wedding ended in a hurry, the security guards had to made a big surveillance check, find the source of the disturbance and all that stuff, Mackenzie's new step-father worked it out before he even looked at the machine. "It was him!" Rian told his mum with total confidence. "He didn't want us to get married and this was his last attempt to end this wedding." Mackenzie looked at him, it was nothing of the sort, he was just bored.

His mother saw the plane wreckage and turned to him, her face sad, her shoulders drooped. "Mackenzie is that true?"

"No. I mean, that's not why. I did because I was bored, I didn't think the guy would almost die of fear." The ugly man had had a heart attack and been sent to hospital he was fine of course, but Rian was angry all the same. Rian looked at Mackenzie's mum imploringly. "See what I mean, he has too much freedom and not enough rules, a little structure is good for a child." His mother looked at Rian was the expression that said she wasn't convinced and she was unhappy about what Rian was saying. "I mean, I want to help him, raise him like he was my own son, which he is now, me and him are family, but Ryssa I need your support. I don't he likes me very much, do you like me Kenzie?"

"Don't call me that, only my parents call me that." His mum smiled, "But Mackenzie, Ri is your parent now."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

When Peeta got back from dropping Lilac and Rye off at school he found Katniss waiting at the door. He couldn't read her expression which was strange; he thought he knew her face better than his own. She was wearing a dress, something that hadn't occurred in many years. He climbed the steps faster than normal. "I think we should celebrate,"

"What? Have forgotten something?"

"No, celebrate the sale, just you and me, no kids." He looked at her trying to find a hint of her bluff, was this really Katniss, or a hallucination? "You're not the most romantic person…" She scowled at him, that look he knew. "That's a bit rude. I'm romantic!" He smiled. "Peeta! You're ruining the mood."

"You ruined the mood last time I tried to be romantic."

"You tried to give me poisonous flowers, you were itching for weeks!"

"All for love," Annoyed Katniss grabbed his collar and pulled him inside. The living room was full of candles, the curtains on the window drawn in. In the kitchen music was paying from the radio. _Somebody out there loves you so…_He smiled, this time not because her efforts were funny but because they hadn't had anything resembling a date for what seemed like forever. He embraced her, though she was still angry. "It's perfect, I love you."

"Well…I love you too, but you're getting off topic-" Peeta kissed her, he felt himself go to a place where only he and she were. Together, the world for themselves. Soon they were moving to the beat of the music. Slowly circling the room. Faces so close all they could see they each other…_And when they come home, you'll never be alone._

"If we could stay like this forever…" He said, trailing off.

"We can, just don't let go." She whispered back. He closed his eyes feeling blissful contentedness. …_Some where they will be waiting for your call and when you meet them they will never let you go. _


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"You should do it. You're a good singer."

"I can't! I told you the team comes first, not some silly play."

"If the team is so important, that you can't do anything else, why are you our friend?" Jasper was glaring at her now. She stared at him, glancing at the others. Zack and Jack were looking at their hands with sudden fascination and Franklin looked like he was about to cry. "Jasper! You're hurting Franklin's feels."

"I'm not. You are! You don't have to hang out with them. Mikael is in jail because of what he's been doing."

"I don't care! He'll come back soon, and Shannon is like a big sister to me. I can't just leave her." Jasper's teeth clenched. "I just wanted to do this…you know together. Just can say you were sick on the days you can't go, be a tree. Just please, it won't be the same without you. Franklin wants to do it." Franklin nodded. She looked at the twins who both gave her a guilty smile.

"We…Jasper is very-"

"-convincing," Jack finished Zack's sentence. Lilac looked over her friends and sighed, tears now blurring her vision. "Ok…ok I'll do it. For you guys, I can't say no to you."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"No." Mackenzie stared, but this time that no wasn't direct at him. His mother looked at the man. "Ryssa, honestly, I believe in giving a child every opportunity to succeed, but I don't like you should treat them like pets."

"Little Katie isn't a pet," His mother said pulling out a phone, scrolling through messages.

"Exactly. Ryssa, can we please not think about business right now?" He looked upset. Mackenzie picked at his food. "Mummy, I don't like this. Can I have some cake instead? If he puts in the special stuff it'll be good for me." He looked at her, ignoring Rian's shaking head. His mummy looked up for a second, "'Hmm? Course, Kenzie, me and Rian are having a conversation, ok? So you can just go to the chef and tell her, ok?" Mackenzie nodded and pushed the chair back and walked to the kitchen, it wasn't next to that dining room, but getting a servant to fetch the chef, wait for her to come then tell her, wait again, just seemed a lot harder that walking there himself.

He pushed it open. "Chef! Make me a cake; put that special stuff in it."

"Are you not eating your dinner tonight, little master?"

"No, you're a bad cook, you should make better food." The chef nodded and pulled out an old fashioned computer. "Well I'll just cross this off. So far none of my deserts have been denied yet, you've got a sweet tooth, that's good, I like making sweets."

"Yeah…sweets are good. Thank you, chef." Then he left the room, his eyes going over the hall. When he returned his mum was gone and Rian was talking on his phone. Mackenzie glared at the man. "What happened to no business at the table?" He asked, Rian's eyes twitched, Mackenzie sat back in his seat. "Where's my mum?" Rian muttered something in the phone, held it away and said, "She had something come up, had to go,"

"When's she coming back? She promised we'd go see the night lights tonight."

"Late, after you go to sleep." Rian returned his attention to the person on the other end of the phone. "Yes…I understand, yes Chryssa is on her way, should be there any second. I know…I'll be their first thing tomorrow, inform he if there are any changes." He dropped the phone down and shook his head. "Bastards!" Mackenzie looked at the man shocked.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing that concerns you,"

"It concerns me if Mum isn't going to be home, and I can't go to the night lights."

"Will you shut up about those? You can go next time!"

"I want to go this time. I want to go! When is Mummy coming back?"

"Late. Now go to bed."

"You're not the boss of me." Rian stood, his chair sliding back then falling. He was angry now, but Mackenzie wasn't scared. He crossed his arms and waited. Talking slowly Rian gripped the table. "You have no idea…no idea, if you refuse my help…I'm talking to a child," Then he shook his head and sat. The servant returned holding the cake, white with passion fruit on in.

"You can't have that unless you finish your dinner, have your mothers and then you can have it. Thank you, miss, put it over here." He gestured to an empty seat. The servant placed it down and scurried away. Mackenzie was staring at the food, forgetting for a second that he was dealing with Rian. "Give to me."

"No. Eat your dinner." He picked up his mother's unfinished meal and placed it in front of him. Mackenzie stuck out his tongue. "It's yuck, I'm not eating it."

"Then go hungry."

"No! Give it to me, please."

"One piece, just one, you can do that right?"

"No!" he stood this time. "Stop being so mean! I'll tell my mum about you. I don't like you! You can't come into my life, split my parenst up and tell me to do whatever you say! Here if you want the food so badly eat it yourself." He picked up the plate and tossed it. The plate cracked as it collided with his face. "I hate you! I hate you! Get out of my life!" Then he pushed the chair at his step-dad picked up the cake and ran upstairs. "Enjoy your meal!" He screeched and slammed the door of his room.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Lilac rolled into the school grounds, Jasper following. Franklin waved when he saw them and they all sat down on the curb waiting for the twins to arrive, naturally they were later than even Lilac and Jasper. When they finally rolled up the street they were dressed to impress, and by impress Lilac assumed they had dressed up as Dark time rebels with swords at their hips and purple sprayed hair. Lilac shook her head smiling and Jasper openly laughed. "What are you fools doing?"

"Got our costumes all sorted."

"You might not even get those roles."

"Course we will-"

"-we're professional." Lilac snorted at the idea and stood, "You're late, now we're late. If I'm a tree because of you, you will pay, dearly." Zack laughed then he saw her look. "Ok ok! You were the one who didn't want to do it."

"I've changed my mind."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The door slammed open, the hinges wavering. She took hold of his shoulders, pressing him against the bedhead. She stared at him with so much intenseness that he didn't notice the pain in his arms for a few seconds. He opened his mouth but she was faster. "Why? Why would you do that?" Mackenzie wriggled in her grip. She slammed him against the wall again. _"Why?" _She shrieked.

"Mummy, you're hurting me…"

"What was going through your head?" he looked at her. "What are you-?"

"Tell me!" She pulled him off the bed, the cake plate fell to the ground and she saw it, her mouth opening and closing without sound. "Mummy…what's wrong? ... Mummy?" She glared at him. "Stop calling me that." She yelled. "Mummy-" Then something hard hit his check, he fell to the ground. He looked up, tears following. His mother was shaking with anger; she was breathing hard, her hand high ready to hit him again. He crawled away. "W-w-what?"

He looked around; his body ran into a couch, a dozen servants were looking through the door, their eyes gleaned in happiness. He looked back at his mother, "Mummy…please…" She yelled and her fist began to descend. Mackenzie pushed away, fleeing his room, knocking the servants aside and down the stairs. He came across a doctor, a machine growing from his arm. Mackenzie gasped and turned, not really watching where he was going but followed his legs. Tears streamed from his eyes, he held his check, it throbbed.

The cold air embraced him with horrible happiness. He stumbled down the stone steps, passed all the gardens and outside areas. Into the forest, a place he had avoided for as long as he had live in the house. The mountain rose up over him and the moon hung bright silver and full. He tripped on a branch and landed on his face, he didn't get up crying to the ground, brushing away his tears, trying to force a smile. "What did I do?"

The forest whistled, his mother's house loomed far away and random lights flicked over him. He crawled up underneath a tree as rain began to fall; large drops hit him from above. The sky began a suddenly array of rainbow then returned to its original colour. _Midnight…_A light hit him and he cringed, the light burned his eyes. He wiped away his tears and looked up. "There you are." His dad lean in and turned off the light. "You've made a right old mess, you have. Come here." Mackenzie shook his head and pushed back more into the tree.

His dad moved forward, crawling on the damp ground. Mackenzie didn't move when hands wrapped around him. "Are you ok?" Mackenzie shook his head again, not looking up. "So did you really through a plate at Rian?" Mackenzie blinked, stunned. "Maybe…why?" His dad frowned and wiped some dirt off his face. "Rian is…he isn't in a good state, um…actually he's not waking up." Mackenzie flicked his head around, his mouth hanging open.

"I killed him?"

"No! No, nothing like that, he'll be fine in a few days, you managed to hit his eye and the broken glass fell into his mouth so he isn't breathing well, but that can all be fixed. You're mum's angry though." Mackenzie nodded, touching his check. "I know." His dad was silent for a while then he pulled Mackenzie's hand away. "Did she hit you?" He was silent.

"Mackenzie! Tell me, did she hit you?"

"Maybe…a bit, Daddy…she said not to call her mummy anymore…what do I call her then?" His dad stood. "I think we should go, you need some sleep, and I don't want you catching a cold." Mackenzie took his hand and let his dad take him through the woods. "Don't worry about your mother, she gets like this sometimes, she…" He turned off the light when they got near the house. They didn't go to it though, instead they walked around. Mackenzie's feet started hurting, but he didn't complain. A car was waiting for them in the drive way.

"Sebastian, inform the staff that Mackenzie's been found and they should stop looking." His dad flicked the robot away and it sped off. "Here Zee-zee, wear this." Mackenzie took the shirt from his dad and pulled off his pyjama top. The shirt was warm, and dry, his pyjamas weren't designed for the outdoors. His dad sat down next to him, sighing. "I think it'd be best if you stayed with me for a while. Driver take us out." The car started to move.

"But why? You said Mum-"

"Your mother is very angry, she may get angry again. No it'll be just you and me for a while." Mackenzie watched as the house disappeared behind the mountain. "And don't do that again, Mackenzie, you have us all worried."

"Do what dad? Hide in the forest or throw a plate at Rian?" His dad rolled his eyes, a small smiled creeping on his face. "Don't do both, but…throwing a plate a Rian was pretty funny. Tell me what did he do to incur such wrath?" Mackenzie looked at his dad with the most serious expression and said, "He pretended to be you." His dad smiled and ruffled his hair.

"That's my boy."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

They were late again, but this time Lilac was with them. She laughed whenever Zack glanced down at his pendant, the one had had earned. "Man…I get it now…it really do." Jack shook his head and patted his brother's back. "Are you sure you can hold it in, Zay? Or is a storm a' coming." Zack growled and pushed Jack's arm away. "Shut up! I'm not going to cry, I just can't believe it."

"We're a team; we work together for the greater good. Rich tourists beware." Lilac put on her evil voice and Jack burst into laughter, Zack looked away smiling. "Its great that yoru happy, means my minions will be very active today." Lilac poked him. "Right? Right? Right?"

"Lilac!" Zack exclaimed. Lilac smiled and pushed through the school gates. "Looks like we're here, sorry Zay, going to have to continue this another time,"

"You really are evil!"

"Never tried to deny it," She said as she closed the back door and locked it. "Test 2! Open a lock!"

"Lilac!" Jack yelled. Lilac chuckled and unlocked it quietly. "I'm sorry! I can't hear you." Then she headed down the hall of old props and into the backstage. She whispered to the others, Franklin was there working on his tree costume, it was coming along great; he had a knack for stuff like that. Jasper was looking annoyed. "I can't believe I have to come here every play and I don't do anything and you who actually has a part; you are running thirty minutes late! Tell me is that fair?"

"I'm not as late as the Bargraves, at least." Jasper's eyes narrowed.

"You were with them?" She nodded and plonked herself down. "I wouldn't, Mrs Rydes has been calling for you for like twenty minutes now. You should go apologise."

"She has? Why?"

"You happen to have a main part, if you hadn't noticed." Lilac made an odd sound like an 'oh!' but with her mouth a hundred per cent closed and hurried over to the stage. "I'm sorry I'm late, missus Rydes!" Lilac ran up to her. Miss Rydes looked at her oddly, "Well, Lilac, this is a first, I didn't even know you were gone, forgotten to mark the roles I think. Stacey, can you check the role people."

"Already done it miss." Stacey said with a smile, she was a horrible creature. "Lilac, Zack, and Jack, have all seemed to misplaced their watches." Mrs Rydes nodded and tapped Lilac's head. "Well, if I need you I'll go get you, ok? Ms Mellark?" Lilac nodded, enraged. Coming back to Jasper she found him desperately trying to suppress instense laughter, he was attracting a lot of attention. "Well, well, well," Lialc did you best Stacey voice. "What do we have here? Are we doing _productiv_e work here _Jas-picker_." Jasper looked up suddenly then gasped.

"Lilac! You scared me!"

"Next you don't make me face the Stacey zone. Got it?" She straggled him and then pushed away because the twins hadn't figured out that the door was unlocked. When she opened it she brought Franklin, because Franklin was a big boy for being only ten.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"Where's Franklin?" Jasper asked as he plonked himself down on a rock. Lilac shook her head, scribbling down Zack's homework. "It's weird, he's never not here," The twins came over holdings five cans of soft drink. Jack was already drinking him. "Oi! You can't just go drink that, it's Jazzie's party!" Lilac yelled at him. Jack simply waved.

"No, it doesn't matter, Franklin's not here. Have you two seen him?" Zack shook his head and sat down. Jack downed the last of his drink and held up the other can in his hands. "If he's not here can I drink this?"

"No!" Jasper exclaimed. "That's for Franklin; you can't drink your gift to me. That's like…against the rules." Jack sighed and passed the drink to Jasper. "Fine you can have then."

"It's Franklin's, not his, Jack listen to people." Lilac took her can from Zack. Jack shook his head with exasperation. "But he's not even here; you mean were not even going to celebrate because he's not around? Hello, I've already had mine, you're going to make he feel bad!" Zack started laughing.

"I told you, you shouldn't have drunk it, but _no_, Jackie is too cool for dat." Jack scowled at his brother. "Well, then we have to find him, aye?' Jack said pocketing Franklin's can. "Come on guys! We have a man to find."

It turned out she didn't need to do her homework and the twins didn't need to buy an extra can because they didn't find Franklin anywhere. They trampled to Jasper's house, not quiet believing that even his home was abandoned. "It's like he's just shipped out and gone." Jack exclaimed, falling down onto the front step. Lilac frowned and nodded. "Why didn't he tell us anything though? Why would he miss Jasper's party?"

"Not much of a party really," She said. Zack nodded and sat down next to his brother, he was the only one still to drink his warm can. Jasper sighed, "I think he might not have wanted us to know,"

"Why?" Jack and Lilac asked at the same time, then turned to each other, "Jinx, personal jinx, double personal jinx, next to car, at my house, under roof, under sky, I got you with my jinx,"

"No!" Jack exclaimed

"I got you!"

"No way, I so said it first."

"Hello! We have a big issue here. Franklin's missing, remember?" Zack said, clapped his brother's mouth shut. "You both cancel each other out, ok?"

"Well said, Zay," Jasper cleared his throat. "We just need to think of a few more…Franklin?" Jasper turned around and hurried out of his garden gate and into the street. They all stood and raced after him. "Franklin! Franklin! Stop! I just want to talk to you!"

"No! Stop please! I can't be your friends anymore! Please just leave me alone."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"He failed. I'm sorry, Lye, he just wasn't good. I offered it to him…but well he just didn't have the guts." Lilac stared at Mikael before shaking her head. "But why? Franklin's not even part of the Vic. He doesn't even live in it, I thought you only asked Vic kids, like Zack and Jack and Sharre. Not Franklin, Franklin is a Mid kid. You a bit of a Mid kid now too Lye, I've seen your dad's painting at the markets, people buy a lot of them. He's good."

"But Franklin is-!"

"No, he's not. His mother's lost her job last month because of an illness, I heard about it a week ago, he woman had to sell her house and they live in the Vic now, you wouldn't know because you live on the edge but today I saw him asking around for money. No idea how to do it. So I offered a hand, he accepted well enough and he was going great, but I needed a boy of his size to be jump sort, not like you, you're our actor, the boy is a tree in your school play."

Lilac shook her head. "You're wrong…you're wrong. Please no…you have to be wrong." Mikael put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Lye, I really am. But if he was with us he'd be worse of than he was in our team, ok?" She looked at him, tears welling in her eyes.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Thank you, Mikael."


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

There were a lot of people at the door. The car rolled up and Mackenzie walked as his dad got out of it. The door opened and he was forced to be put through the massing people. It was his parents' divorce again. They called his name and his dad's and every other word in the English language was tossed around, he took his father's hand. His dad looked down and smiled a bit. Mackenzie smiled back. The crowd was pushed back and finally they were inside.

In the room there were a dozen chairs. Exactly the same. Rian was there, sitting down, his hand on Mackenzie's mum. His mum looked stressed; she didn't look up when they entered. The lawyers came in, one for dad, one for mum, and one for no-one. Mackenzie sat down, felling suddenly nervous. Not the same. "Shall we begin?" The first lawyer asked picking up a pile of papers.

"The law have decided to approve your request for a restraining order, this is effective until you view Mr Mackenzie Hawthorne as no longer a hostile force or when he turns eighteen, were upon you may ask for the law to renew the case against Mr Hawthorne." The middle lawyer said, the no-one lawyer, he looked sickly. "Mr Hawthorne do you understand your new restrictions? If so please sign here at the end of the session." Mackenzie shook his head and muttered a whisper, "Don' want to."

"Mackenzie, you have to." His dad whispered, patting his head. "It'll be alright, trust me." Mackenzie nodded and the lawyer moved on. "Now that this restriction on the child is involved the custody of him has become an issue." His mother sobbed. Rian took hold of her and touched her growing tummy. "The child, named Mackenzie Hawthorne, has previously been legally the protective custody of both parents, now that one of these parents has been remarried and the man who is step-father has filed a restraining order on the child, these incurs the inevitable position that is that one parent is no longer able to care for the child if the step-father wishes to live in the same house." The middle lawyer finished and his father's lawyer started.

"My client has requested, under the situations, a full custody of the child in question. This will mean that he is responsible of the child following all rules that the law has bound him. Do you clients agree to these measures?" The first lawyer took a pile of papers from the third and read through it slowly. Then he pulled up a page and they discussed the minor points for almost half an hour. "My clients agree to these terms.' The first lawyer finally said.

Mackenzie was given almost twenty pages to sign, his parents more and finally the dreaded cream paper was passed to him. He picked it up and pretended to read the thing like the lawyers making appropriate noises. His dad tapped him on the back. "Come on Mackenzie, the faster we're out of here the quicker we can go to the night lights." Mackenzie looked up at his dad and tried to express everything he was feeling to his dad with no words.

His dad only smiled. Mackenzie nodded. He risked a glance at his mum. She caught his eye and stood hurrying out of the room, Rian not far behind. Mackenzie stared at the door. Something in his heart broke off. He picked up the pen and signed the final page. The middle lawyer picked it up. "Thank you for your time. I wouldn't remind you that you must leave as soon as possible. Thank you again for your time." His dad shook all of their hands, and Mackenzie shook his dad's lawyer's hand because he only liked that man.

When they were out his dad picked him up and tickled him. He squealed in surprise. Then his dad st him down and looked him in the eyes with a serious expression. "Mackenzie you may not fully understand what's happening right now, and if it you don't I want you to now, I am your dad. I'll always be here for you." Mackenzie smiled and nodded with seriousness. "I know, daddy, I know."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

The night lights were like something he had never seen. They climbed the mountain, right to the top, using the elevator. Mackenzie got a bit cold so he brought a big hot chocolate while his dad wasn't looking. His dad just shook his head smiling. Mackenzie sipped a bit and held it up to him. His dad brought his own and they found a good rock. "Daddy?" He stopped drinking.

"Hmm?" His dad asked, looked at Mackenzie, Mackenzie looked over the city. "I love you." He said sipping the drink some more. "Well I love you too." Mackenzie leaned on his dad just as the first light ripped through the sky. His dad was warm. Mackenzie closed his eyes, suddenly a bit tired.

"Mackenzie?" His stirred, looking up. "You should watch this. We might not be able to see it for a while." Mackenzie frowned and sat up. "What do you mean?" His dad looked him in the eye. "I got offered a job in District 1, they want be to be the treasurer, why they think I'll be good at that I don't know, but now that it's just us. I was hoping you'd like to come with me." Mackenzie looked at his dad, not understanding.

"Leave the district? Like a holiday?"

"Like to live, Zee-zee, just you and me, and it'll be easier to avoid Rian."

"But…but…mummy lives in district 2!" His dad's eyes saddened. He nodded. "Yes, she does." Mackenzie looked at his dad for a bit. Then looked at the city, "I can't live with mummy now right? But will I get to see her? Like on the holidays? If it's like that, then we can go." His dad smiled slightly. "I don't care what they say, you're a good kid, Zee-zee, my good kid."


	32. Chapter 32

**Ok. I'm thinking of making my chapters longer. If you like it tell me if you like the way mine are right now say so. This chapter is a trial. So yeah. Beware if you like the new format than the updates may take longer. **

**Sorry for the long time this chapter took, I stopped like half way through then again right at the end. Hope it makes sense. **

Chapter 32

The worse thing about having a private train was that there was no body to talk to. Mackenzie flipped a card, then a another card, then another card. The districts raced passed outside. His dad was nowhere to be found but his dad didn't normally play cards anyway. Annoyed Mackenzie pushed the deck across the table and glared at the view. "Food," He decided getting up. He walked to the dining carriage; his dad was talking on his phone and almost attacking his computer. Mackenzie sat down at the bar and waited…for a second. He reached over to the bell and started dinging it. Over and over and over and over… "Hello, master Mackenzie, hungry again?" Mackenzie shook his head.

"I'm bored, train trips take so long." The waiter forced a smile. "It would take longer by car." Mackenzie shrugged. "I want that fruit stuff." The waiter nodded and disappeared to the kitchen. Mackenzie spun off his chair and sat down next to his dad, leaning over to see what he was doing. He didn't understand most of it and he grew even more bored. The fruit stuff came out. He sipped at it. "Enjoying that?" His dad asked. Mackenzie leaned back and shook his head.

"It was better the first time."

"I thought you were a sweets person." His dad poked his finger in the drink and sucked it. "Mhmm. This is good. Did you have that add extra sugar again?" Mackenzie shook his head annoyed. "No! Of course not." His dad chuckled and returned to his work. "Why are you playing, Kenzie?" Mackenzie shrugged. "I'm bored."

"Well we should be there soon…ah." His dad looked closer at the scene. "That's it. And Jessia couldn't find it. Honestly. I think the move is getting her all up in the air." Mackenzie nodded and stood. Food was boring. He walked up and down the train, trying to find someone who knew how long it was until they arrived. He finally found a man dressed in a different uniform. "Excuse me, do you know when the train will be getting there?"

The man turned around. "Should be in a few minutes actually. You're…Mackenzie Hawthorne aren't you?" Mackenzie frowned. "Most servants call me master. Are you not a servant?" he man shook his head. "No, no, I work for the train. You know what? How about we go to the front of the train, that's where everything is controlled." Mackenzie lit up. Entertainment! "Really? Can you show me?"

The man nodded and turned around; they headed down to the front. The man walked funny and Mackenzie tried to sense his mood. Backs are hard to sense mood. "How long does it take?" The man glanced back. "Not long, we'll be there before we arrive."

"I don't even want to go, District 12 is boring." Mackenzie said crossing his arms. The man nodded with seriousness then kept moving. Mackenzie followed. "What's your name, mister?" The man turned again. "My name is Cole, and this is the front of the train." Mackenzie looked around. "I don't…" Then suddenly Cole leaned back and a dark shadow landed behind Mackenzie. The train start to slow.

* * *

"Oh man. I can't believe the plan worked." A squeaky voice echoed below him. Mackenzie stirred slightly. "It hasn't yet, don't get cocky, just because we're counting on the bureaucracy of the division doesn't mean the police won't catch us first. After all the kid might look suspicious." A female voice came from ahead. They were moving at a steady pace, he felt like he was being carried. His head was playing crazy as it healed, he could almost hear the buzzing of nanobots working.

"Oh come on Boss, look at him, isn't that the most innocent face you ever seen?" The body carrying him stopped. "And what about us then? Do you really think we look like the rightful guardians of Mackenzie Hawthorne to you?"

"Ah…no?"

"This is why I'm the Boss. Ok, Slade set him down here." Mackenzie felt himself be dropped to a soft piece of grass. He groaned. "Not so roughly! We won't to get top dollar, ok? That means not a scratch." Mackenzie started opening his eyes. "Damn it. Slade you woke him up. Cole, tie him quickly. Mackenzie struggled as the man, still wearing the uniform tried to bind his hands. "Shitty kid, stay still." Mackenzie glared at the woman, she was shaking a can. "Look at me, kid. Cole not so aggressively,"

"You the one that hit his head," Cole groaned. Mackenzie kicked Cole, gasping as he struggled to get out of the grasping hands. "Slade little help…" Cole hissed. Mackenzie pulled at the grass, but it came away revealing dirt…and a worm. He screamed and tossed the clump of natural nature. The woman curse and tried to spray his face, he twisted around. "Let me go! Who are you? What do you want?"

The three people tried to restrain him, Mackenzie kicked and hissed. Cursing flew. He got to standing. Pushing away from them, he ran into a tree. The big man named Slade moved forward. He looked around. Escape…escape. There was none. The man was on top of him. He felt his nose trickle with blood. Fear enveloped him. "Daddy…" he felt tears in his eyes. Then an ant climbed onto his skin. He screamed again. Jumping away from the tree, into the big man. Surprise him so much that the man fell over. Mackenzie twisted in fear, climbing over the mountain of the man.

The other man was stunned but the woman lunged at him. Mackenzie stepped aside, running into the woods. He ran for ages. His feet tripping on branches. The woods looked different from back in district 2. _Because this is district 12_ he thought with fear. Where was his dad? What happened? Who were they? He tried quickly. Gasping for breath. He found a small hut. It was made of cement and didn't look very pretty. He embraced the man-made place. Sobbing he sat down in the room. "Daddy…"

* * *

Gale buried his face in his hands not quite believing it. He suppressed the tears that he could feel were coming. It had been two hours and already everything had gone wrong. "You've lost the trail? Are you sure they weren't there?" The man shook his head. "There was evidence of a fight but all bodies were gone, what evidence there was of a person moving through were minimal and we lost it quickly on all six occasions. I would say the retreated with a hover craft but the usual signs aren't there. That's all we have for now."

Gale shook his head. "No, thank you, you used your best tracker you say?" The man nodded with a frown. Gale moved forward. "Where is the site?"

He sighed not quite believing it. He had lost the trail. After years of being in the city he had forgotten the woods. At least he had known where his son had gone, though he almost wished Mackenzie hadn't escaped the kidnappers, it would have been easier to get him back. He sighed again and knocked on the door. A girl answered her eyes instantly suspicious. Gale knew he had come to the right place. "Hello, can I see your mother?" She scowled. "Just a sec." She closed the door.

"MUM! SOMEONE'S AT THE DOOR AND THEY WANT TO TALK TO YOU!" Gale blinked as the reply came. "GOT IT!" The door opened and Katniss came into view. She looked happier than the last time he saw her, in made a bad situation better. She frowned. "Honestly, every time I see you your hair is a different colour." He smiled. "Lye-li go help your dad cook." The girl scowled and followed her mother's orders, muttering as she went.

"So it's nice…what's wrong?" He closed his eyes. "I need you help…I've…lost my son." She gave him a look. "Gale, are you serious? That's not something I expected to hear from you, find the police…"

"I did, but they can't follow his trail…and I…ah…I'm a bit out of practice."

"Tracking not something you forget."

"Well I did."

"…Ok…where is the track?"

* * *

Mackenzie sat dry eyed, hungry and bored. His feet hurt and he could go anywhere, not willing to go any from the cement hut. He watched from safety as a group of baby birds played in the water. "…your boy is pretty good at hiding considering…honestly…I can't believe you…stop calling me that! I'm helping you…wait…this is…" Mackenzie stood coming away. There were people coming. He hid in the building, crawling into the corner, willing the people not to be the strangers from before.

"Mackenzie!" He jumped and crawled out. His dad stood at the edge of the meadow. Mackenzie looked at him, trying to apologise. His dad looked sad for a second then he was angry. "Why? Why would you follow strangers? What did they offer you? Dammit. Mackenzie, tell me." Mackenzie stood as his dad closed the gap between them and grabbed his arm. Tears started to go down his face, disgusting as it was he couldn't stop. Then his dad had watery eye too and he let go of his hand and brushed Mackenzie's face. Mackenzie stood, the tears slowing as his dad muttered words Mackenzie couldn't understand. "Never, never do that again, alright? I thought you were dead." Mackenzie nodded and they walked home.


	33. Chapter 33

**Reviews are welcomed. **

Chapter 33

"Mr Stone this is Mackenzie Hawthorne, my son," Mackenzie looked up and turned down the music. The man was big, with dark hair and tanned skin. Mackenzie didn't like him; the man was looking down on him. Mackenzie stood and shook his head. "I don't need him, I told you it won't happen again, those guys were from District 2 anyway." Mr Stone bit his lip but didn't talk.

"You might not need him, but I'd like you to just accept it, alright? Put my mind at ease." Mackenzie looked at his dad, and frowned. "But dad…"

"No. No. Look, you won't even know he's there, he's a professional don't worry about it." His dad tapped his shoulders, smiled and turned away. Mackenzie sighed and nodded. "Won't even know he's there?" he asked too low for his dad to hear, he glanced at the man named Stone and doubted that very much. Annoyed Mackenzie stood and began to walk, wondering if Stone would follow. He did.

Franklin was sitting on a bench when she saw him. Lilac didn't approach like she would normally, this wasn't the place she expected him to be, the place he wanted to be. The crowds of foreigners moved around them not even noticing. She stepped forward, then back, then forward. Then back. She sighed and moved forward. She sat down next to him without him noticing who she was. She didn't talk to him, he stared at the crowd going passed, waiting, waiting. She knew what he wanted but he didn't know. He didn't know.

"You know…" he jumped suddenly, as if just noticing her. He stared, breathing hard, and stood, stepping away. "No…no…you can't…please no…" Then he fell to the floor, clutching his face. "Please…no…don't look at me don't look at me…I can't…please, Lye, just don't talk to me. I'm not one of you, I never was, I'm sorry." Then he stood in a rush and disappeared. Lilac watched not going after him. Not going after him.

"This, my good sir, is a credit card. That's how I'm paying for it." Mackenzie waved the card at Stone. Stone's eyes watched it then he forced himself to look away. Mackenzie smiled and passed the card to the shopkeeper. The eastern districts were so out dated, even here in the tourist markets. He took the card back and glanced at the box on the counter. "Carry it." Stone looked surprised and looked at him as if he had suggested something insane. "You might as well be useful."

Stone stood silent for a few seconds; his eyes boring down at Mackenzie, Mackenzie looked back with equal ferocity. He always had his card up his sleeve, all poor people needed work, Stone would have to do anything he said unless he want to get fired because his dad always believed Mackenzie no matter how outrageous the lie. "Fine," Stone said picking up the box. Mackenzie smiled at him, not in thank you but in victory. "See, now we understand each other."

He turned at walked out of the stall. Looking around for anything that caught his eye, he saw the food stall. "Oh, perfect," Stone frowned when he realised what Mackenzie was talking about. "You just ate lunch."

"Lunch is food, sugar is entertainment. And aren't you supposed to be a professional, my dad said I wouldn't even know you were here, if you keep talking to me, I will obviously know your there." Stone nodded and fell back a few paces. Mackenzie smiled and brought a box of lollies for the trip. "Hold this." He said passing the box after picking out a dozen. Stone frowned but took the box. "This may impare me, if the objects are broken at some point if you are attacked I will not be infringed, correct?"

Mackenzie frowned at the man, "I don't know," and turned back to eating his lollies.

* * *

"Guys, guys Franklin's trying to rob someone, by himself!" Zack and Jack looked up together but wearing the same expression, shock. Jasper stood. "What do you mean, Franklin? He can't do that."

"Yeah, he's Franklin." Jack said.

"But…Lilac, didn't he fail the test." Zack said and nodded seriously. "We have to stop him." Lilac said. Jasper stood.

"You sure him right?" Lilac nodded again. "Then why wouldn't you stop him." Lilac shook her head and scowled. "Because he bloody started crying that's why, I don't know how to deal with that!" Jasper breathed in deeply and then began to run. Lilac turned on her heel and followed him. "I saw him at the tourist zone!" Jasper nodded.

"Hey wait up!" Jack's voice came from behind them, she didn't slow, every second counted.

* * *

Mackenzie bit his lip, not because the item was ridiculously overpriced, he hadn't even looked at the tag on the side, he was just trying to work out if he really needed another pair of shoes, was it worth the effort? They looked cool, for District 12; he could even stick his name on it, now that would be cool. But… "Do they come in black and white?" The lady, who looked permanently surprised nodded and pulled out yet another pair of shoes. He handed his card to her and she looked down at it. "I'm sorry, we only take cash." Mackenzie stared at her.

Cash? Cash? Cash! He hadn't used cash, since….since…never! He turned to Stone, who was standing a metre away. "Stone do you have any cash on you?" He nodded. "Give it." He shook his head. "Don't you carry cash?"

"No."

"Well then I guess you can't get it," Mackenzie looked at the man for a long time. The woman started packing up the other boxes. Mackenzie sighed. "Mr Stone, do you know who I am?"

"Your name is Mackenzie Hawthorne."

"Yes, it is. Now you may not be entirely familiar with my name, apparently you're from District 13 so I understand if you don't recognised the name but one defining thing is about me is that, I _always _get what I want. So you are going to give me your cash, or my father will hear about it." Stone looked at him with distain. "This time you don't." Then Mackenzie was angry, "No. No. No. No! You have to give it to me. You have to! Please. Please. _Please."_

Stone shook his head. Mackenzie grabbed at him and unbalanced the man. He pulled up the wallet out and sifted through it. He pulled out the two hundred dollars and passed the rest to Stone who was now fuming with rage. "Never have I…"

"Denied me," he finished the sentence, "You won't do it again that's an order." He said, glaring at the man as he stood, the lady took the money and handed him the shoes. Mackenzie felt satisfied.

* * *

Franklin moved forward. That one. Perfect. The boy's eyes glanced over everything with bored greed. In his hand a card. There was no one with him. Franklin rose. He pulled out the knife, his hands shook with effort. He stepped forward. "For Muma. For Muma." The told himself as he stepped forward. The boy stopped, looking at tourist trinkets. "For Muma." Franklin dove at the boy.

* * *

Lilac stopped the world was in slow motion. "Franklin!" She watched the knife. Zack moved forward, not stopping, not braking, still running. It was too late. Too late. Zack grabbed Frankiin's shoulder.

* * *

Mackenzie watched in amazement as the big fat boy attacked the skinny one. The knife buried itself into his leg. Then the boy screamed. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Mackenzie watched away the knife turned back to him. He didn't step back, he didn't move, entranced by the weapon coming towards him. He felt himself suddenly pushed back. The knife didn't get closer.

Stone moved forwards.

* * *

The knife came out of his hands too quickly. He hardly noticed. Still moving forward. He didn't notice it as it went underneath his hands. A flash of metal. He noticed when it buried itself into his stomach. He stared at the huge man. His eyes were cold. Then Franklin began to cry, "Muma. Muma." Slowly, slowly he fell to the ground. The knife clanged as it hit the bitumen.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Franklin died on Saturday.

Zack came out of the hospital on Tuesday.

Jack was never the same since Wednesday.

And Jasper…Jasper stopped counting days.

* * *

She woke in the night. Dawn was just breaking. Tears were in her eyes. She could still remember the fear. She had been crying in the dream. _Haha…muma…hahahaha…..muma…muma..flash…flash…_She rolled out of her bed. Her head hurt. _Wha…what?... _She picked up her blanket and pillow and pushed open the door. _He's…he's…_The hall was longer than she remembered it. She wiped her tears. _Idiot...idiot…haha…_Her parents were sleeping soundly next to each other; she knew not to wake them up though. Instead she sat down at the end of the bed and cried, praying her father would wake.

After ten minutes or so her tears faded, she couldn't go back to sleep. She watched from the window as the sun rose over the horizon. Her mother groaned. She gasped, looking around. _Hahahahahahaha…your friend's an idiot and so are you…all of you…hahaha…_Feet appeared from under the bed. Her mother stood. She felt suddenly afraid. So afraid, she covered her head with her blanket. Praying for her mother to notice and act like her father, or just walk away. "Rye…?" Lilac sobbed uncontrollably.

"Lilac?" She felt a hand pulled the blanket back. "Lilac, what are you doing in our room?" Lilac didn't respond. Her mother's face stayed still for a moment then it was gone and she watched as she pulled out a leather jacket and boots. "You know what, I think your old enough, what about it? You and me, hunting," Lilac sat up, leaning on her elbow.

"But dad always said you liked to do it with yourself." Her mother laughed.

"He scares away the game, that's what he means. I think it's time you learned." Lilac sat up fully now. The echoes of her dream filled her but she watched as her mother dug through her drawers, smiling. "What are you looking for?" Her mum looked at her. "My old hunting jacket, I hope it won't be too big." Lilac stood and hurried over, embracing the closeness.

The jacket was warm but the rest of her was freezing. The forest was full of mist. Her mum was holding a bow; in Lilac's hand was a smaller, lighter one. It was old too, but not from use. Lilac hurried after. "Shh! Watch your steps. Every piece of leaf litter, grass and especially sticks will make a sound." Lilac nodded, and watched the ground. The entire place seemed to be covered with something that made a sound. Her mum stopped suddenly, pulling out an arrow, Lilac tripped and fell to the floor. There was a sound of alarm from somewhere in the mist and hooves retreating. "Lye-li, I said watch your step; that includes sticking out roots."

Lilac stood brushing the dirt off her clothes. "But mummy! I can't. Everywhere is a bad place to step." Her mother blinked and looked her up and down. "I…I knew it, you're just like your father. Maybe, if I…hmm. Step lightly then." Lilac peered at her mother as she wondered away, her eyes watching everything at once. Then slowly and carefully, Lilac stepped on the ground like she would if she was trying to sneak past her parents.

The leaf moved and cracked. "Shh…Lilac," Lilac nodded, deep in concentration. "Right, shh…" She took another step, easing herself onto the path. At first it was every step that was too loud but she started to get it. She watched her mum, where she put her feet, but later not just that, how she put her feet, she didn't use the bow for a long while but by the time the sun was fully up, in the sky, she wasn't getting 'shhed' so much.

Then her mother stopped again, and turned to her. "Come swimming with me." Lilac looked around and felt stunned, this was the place. Her family's place. She smiled for the first time that day and walked over to the edge of the lake, loud as always. Her mum smiled as she went, maybe she needed more practice.

**Hello everyone. Hope you like this. Mother and daughter time in the Mellark Family. **


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

_Ding-ding-a-ding…Shh…Shhh….SHREAH…_Lilac stepped back and admired her work. An angry smile stretched across her face. She turned off the torch and shoved but into her bag. She looked around; the street was lit up by small solar lights. She scowled at the thing that marred her district. Then slowly she turned away from the tree. She felt a tear crawl down her cheek, it felt cold and heartless as it burned her skin. "_Are you, Are you…"_ She said, singing softly. "_Coming to the tree?" _

The anger in her slowly disappeared. She felt empty. "_Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me." Tick-tac. Tick-tac. _She left the fake sanctuary of the building. _"Strange things did happen here_…" In the dark the stars shone like glistening explosions in the sky. She cursed them, "_…No stranger would it be, if we met up at midnight in the hanging tree…" _

She fell to the floor. Her sobs shook her body. She could walk. She blocked out the lit. Tears. Tears. "I…I…I didn't ask for this…why? Why did this happen to me…?" she hit the ground with all her might. "Oh my god…" She gripped her hair, pulling at it. Her eyes looked around, no one was there, she could swear they were all there, watching her, laughing from the shadows. The tears still came, hurting her eyes, making her fell light headed.

She sobbed trying to recover herself. "_D-deep…in the…" _She shook her head with her hands. Scratching at the bitumen, "_m-meadow…un-un-under…the willow…." _The song made her feel worse. "Mummy…Daddy…" She pushed herself to stand, walking without balance. "_A bed of grass…a soft green pillow…Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes. And when you awake, the sun will rise," _When her tears stopping flowing she walked home.

* * *

The doorbell rang. Lilac waited to recognise the voices but she didn't. Her father invited them in, calling her name. Lilac sat up. Suddenly she felt cold. Nerves filling her she walked down the stairs slowly trying to act natural. "Yeah, daddy?" She looked down the stairs, two police officers stood, looking official in the living room. "Come down stairs." Lilac nodded and climbed down the steps.

"Is there something wrong?" The two police officers nodded. She looked to her dad. One of the officers spoke up. "We would like to know if you have any relations to this person." They pulled out a image recording. It was only a few seconds long, but she recognised herself anywhere. She tried to hide her fear by grabbing it and looking closer. "It's a bit dark." The officer nodded. "Do you have a better picture?" The other officer shook his head and took it from her.

"Do you know this person," Lilac frowned. "I don't know…maybe? I know most people in District 12, but, I couldn't say who that is exactly. Why? Are you asking around? Dad do you know this person." Her dad shook his head. "It's a bit blurry. If we think of anyone we'll tell you." The officers looked at Lilac for a long moment and then nodded, thanked them for their time and left.

* * *

Mackenzie looked around at one of the smallest rooms he'd ever seem. _People live here? _It wasn't inspiring. He felt claustrophobic as his dad pushed him through the threshold, no turning back. Inside there were more people than he even thought possible, his dad hugged a horrid looking woman, her wrinkles made her look like a sultana. He stepped back when she tried to hug him too. "Get away from me."

"Mackenzie, this is your grandmother." He looked at the woman; well she was old…and sort of familiar. But no, he refused to believe it. "So what? She's ugly," His dad almost choked at that. "Seriously Mackenzie, it' been what, two years since you last saw her, you didn't say she was ugly then." Mackenzie sighed and shook his head. "It doesn't matter; I don't hug people I don't know." His dad rolled his eyes and pushed him toward an empty couch, and Mackenzie could see why it was empty, he didn't bother hiding his disgust.

His dad wasn't having it, he felt himself be pushed on the shoulder, Mackenzie tried to resist but it wasn't the strongest of eight (and three quarters) year olds let alone against people like his dad. The couch was comfortable in a very strange way and he tried to distract himself from the large stain next to him. The woman from before waved and he waved back, trying to look as depressed as possible so his dad would get the message. He sat waiting for the food to get served because at every get together he'd ever had food was always served first, then people would talk business while he ignored them scoffing it all down.

That didn't seem to be the plan this time.

A little kid sat next to him, he got off the chair when he saw the HUGE wet patch running down his shirt. The boy was sucking his pinky finger, spit and boogers were everywhere. This place was a mad house. He looked at his dad imploringly, his dad smiled in almost satisfaction and Mackenzie was flabbergasted. He retreated to the corner. "Don't worry; Rye isn't always like that, only with new people."

Mackenzie looked to his left see a tall girl holding a glass of clear liquid, now it could be water – probably_ tap_ water is he knew this place – but it could have been something else, and that was an object for conversation. He point at it. "Is that just water?" The girl blinked and looked down at it. "Well I sure hope so, if it's something else I'm in trouble." Mackenzie nodded, disappointed.

"What's your name?"

"Victoria, actually but everyone calls me Susie." Mackenzie gave her a funny look. "My middle name is Susan." He raised an eyebrow but nodded – even she was a bit odd – sighing he pulled out his phone and scrolled through the games, he had high scores on all the good ones but there was this one kid, they defiantly used cheats in theirs, who always seemed to top his score the moment he passed the kid. _Hyguy959-FT _that was their name, no one knew who they were, and it wasn't cool about that fact that after one small comment everyone knew who _he_ was.

"What's that?" The girl who's name was Victoria but called Susie asked. He didn't look up to answer, she no longer interested him. "A game," He sat down slowly onto the floor not even considering how disgusting it probably was…ok maybe he did a bit, but not enough to cause him to stop playing. Hyguy was online and that meant revenge.

Mackenzie could sit in that position for hours, but the worst thing was Hyguy could sit in front of his computer for _days_. Sleep? Never. Food? Nope. Job? School? Anything? Not as far as Mackenzie could tell. He'd ever talked to the person before. He'd seen what happens to people that did. "What sort of game?" Susie said leaning in front of the screen, annoyed Mackenzie pushed her away. "Don't do that."

"Wow, that's going fast." Mackenzie didn't respond, almost, almost…in the corner he could see, Hyguy, their character was the same as Mackenzie's, the best upgrades. They raced. He completely forgot the girl, didn't even notice her talking to him as he activated his sound. He was immersed; the graphics were more realistic than real life. The other players were left behind as the game got faster and faster, the point numbers sky rocketed. Normally by now he would have passed them, he didn't need to look at the score to know that _no one _had ever gotten this far into the game.

The race stage ended. He hitched his avatar out just at the right moment, a thousand metal object rain down on the side; if he'd flicked too hard the avatar would have gamed over. They both landed. No weapons came up. They were in a field; the cars and metal were gone. In front of him the words, _Final Stage. _He sat back, stunned. _Final stage? Final stage? What final stage? _But that was as far as he got. Hyguy attacked him. He pulled his phone back automatically. Twisted his avatar. Then they were locked, he could almost feel the other player's arms gripped onto his.

Nerves made his palms sweat. He didn't notice the food being served, his dad calling his name. He pushed Hyguy off of him. He made his character run but he noticed something he'd only seen in one game before. _Force field…what is this place? _He turned back to Hyguy, who was charging at him. Suddenly a message board opened up next to him. He ignored it, a distraction, one he couldn't deal with. The ground underneath him fell away and soon they were moving around along a puzzle piece, attacking each other. "Mackenzie!"

He flinched suddenly, something was in front of his vision he couldn't see Hyguy. He felt the sounds of failure play loudly in his ears. He looked up over the watch blocking his view. He was breathing heavily, anger surged through him. The person stood and moved away. His dad returned to the conversation. Mackenzie shook. "Mackenzie, come eat," He looked at his dad in a state of shock. He stood. He walked over, he picked up the watch – worth more than all the furniture in the room – and snapped it. His dad looked up surprised but the suddenly sound. "Mackenzie!" He exclaimed noticing the watch as it dropped to the floor. Mackenzie hardly heard him.

"I was going to win. I was going to beat them, you made me fail." His dad was frowning; he leaned down and picked up the broken watch. He sighed. "Do you know what it's going to cost to fix this?" Mackenzie ignored him. "I was going to win, I have never beaten them." His dad seemed not to understand. "It's just a game Kenzie, you can play it again." Mackenzie looked at his dad; did he really not get it? It wasn't just a game, it was him _winning, _beating the final stage, beating Hyguy959-FT, the cheater. Now he felt like crying, but he wouldn't, instead he held out his hand. "Make it up to me." His dad sighed and sat back smiling. "So that's what this is about." His dad pulled out phone and tapped at a few buttons. "If I do this you'll get my watch fixed alright?"

Mackenzie wasn't alright. "That's not what I want, I want to go, this place is boring, the food looks disgusting and now just as I was about to beat the person who had robbed me of first place in every gaming broad I play you ruin my game." His lips trembled and his dad was no longer smiling. "Mackenzie it is just a game." His dad looked at the old woman. "Sorry, your cooking is fine."

"No its not! Stop lying!"

"Mackenzie, I understand your upset-"

"No! No! No! You don't understand, you never understand!" He shrieked. "I hate you! I going and take your stupid watch back." Then true to his word left the room through the front door, and down the street. A few metres away he turned to see if his dad was following him, he wasn't. Now feeling worse he slowed, waiting, hoping, nothing. No one came. He felt his jaw begin to hurt. He walked away from the house, whispering to himself as if to make what he'd said true.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

She watched the boy leave from the spare room. It had been her room once. The walls were still covered with pictures she had drawn, some skipping the paper part. The old blue curtains with shell patterns were still there. He stopped suddenly, looking back. She rubbed her eyes, feeling hate burn in them. It was him. His fault. She felt tear burn her cheeks turning to the door. Locked. Locked. Locked. She bashed the door. It didn't open.

She glared at the window. Wide open. She picked up the linen from the bed looking at the window. A thousand doubts ran through her head. It didn't matter, she and tied it to a chair, pilling on heavy objects so it would stay down and then she grabbed the linen and slipped down the wood panels. She found the end before she was on the ground, she looked down. She could jump it. She let go, there was a loud bang from above her. Her feet hit the ground and she cringed at the pain. She jumped off her feet and bit her hand. She twisted and lent against the house.

Her left foot hurt worse and for a second she though it was broken but she managed to wriggle her toes. She refused to let the boy go. The pain made it almost easier to think about how it was him who was the reason the reason why Franklin was never going to come home to his Muma. She walked down the street slowly at first, then faster as the pain drifted away. She could see him now, his hair brown dipped in gold. She grabbed a stick she passed. It was big, perfect for her task. She fleet the adrenaline pushed her thoughts to one single point.

Then the boy stopped as if he had heard something, and he turned to look at her. He frowned messing up the pretty face he had. "What are doing with that?" Lilac felt for the first time what it was like to be caught. She didn't toss the stick away; she didn't remove herself from the infringing object like she should have. Like Michael had told her too. "Nothing," She replied. The boy raised his chin and looked at her with distain. "You're related to those people, aren't you?"

Lilac frowned and nodded, assuming those people were her family. "Well then I guess you can't help being strange, but if you don't mind, be strange somewhere else." Lilac gaped. "Excuse me?"

"You're excused." He waited. "That means; go away." He told her a bit more forcibly. Lialc just scowled. "I didn't ask to leave you idiot, if I was going to leave I wouldn't ask you permission. I was asking you to repeat yourself because you made no sense." Then boy just stared at her as if not quite believing she hadn't just complied totally with his will. "Do you know who I am?"

"Umm….Hawthorne something right?"

"Mackenzie Hawthorne, have you been living under a rock or something? Everyone knows who I am." Lilac shrugged. "I don't. What are you famous for?" The boy opened his mouth in a sneer then blinked as if not sure how to continue. He closed it again and looked down at her. "None of your business," Lilac smiled. "You're not famous, you're just a stupid kid, and don't worry most kids are. _You_ killed a smart person and so now I'm going to hurt you." She held up he stick.

The boy smiled in fear. "What is with this district? Why do you all want to kill me?"

"Shut up!" She yelled and then she charged. The boy stepped back and yelled. "Stone!" Twenty metres away a car was already driving forward. She gasped and stepped back the car parked in front of her and the man came out. "You come near this boy again and I will do what I did to your friend, got it? Not clear off." She stared at him. _Franklin dove at him with the knife. The man grabbed it so fast she almost missed it. And then Franklin died. _"No…no…NEVER!" Then she throw the stick at him.

It missed, hitting the car instead. Glass flew and suddenly Stone was protecting the boy from the rain. The boy named Mackenzie Hawthorne pushed him away and slapped the man. "Don't touch me," He said with more arrogance than all the popular girls in Lilac's grade combined. The man retracted himself, his face red with anger. He turned to Lilac and she felt her feet turn themselves and then she was running she didn't look to see if he was following.

* * *

"Thank you Snow she's gone." Mackenzie said no longer feeling bad about saying he hated his dad, in fact he had completely forgotten about it. So now he decided he was going to walk back to the house his dad had built in this district. After a few blocks he sat down on a park bench and realised suddenly that out here he had no aircon and no caretakers to wave fans at him, he was hot and sweaty and had no way to fix it. Stone was talking quickly on the phone, standing he didn't make a comment on Mackenzie's break. When he stopped talking Mackenzie sighed, "I can't walk anymore."

Stone nodded. "I left my phone at that house, go get it." Stone shook his head. "If I leave you then I would leave you open to that little girl." Mackenzie glared. "I was fine." Stone nodded, a hit of a smile on his lips. Mackenzie stood and walked over to the man. "Look, you might think your so much better than me but my dad pays you so you have to do what I say."

"I have to do you what your father says, not you, _master _Hawthorne." Mackenzie almost choked; he made 'master' sound like a bad thing. What was wrong with everyone today? Annoyed Mackenzie walked away, back to the terror home which was smaller than either of his rooms. He pushed open the door, hot and sweaty and in a horrible mood. It only worsened when he saw Lilac Mellark sitting on one of the couched hugging the old witch. Stone came in after him and his dad stood taking the tall man out of the room. Mackenzie walked over to where he'd left his phone, refusing to look at the other people in the room.

When he picked it up he didn't smile He dialled the house and walked over to the door. The voice of the butler came through the other end, "Pick me up," He said before hanging up, not waiting for a response. "So, how's your dad?" Mackenzie blinked when the realised the voice was talking to him. He looked over the narrow, smart looking man not understanding the question. "What?"

"Gale, how is he?" Mackenzie tucked his phone away. "How should I know, why don't you ask him?" The middle aged woman sighed and picked up a piece of 'banana bread'. "It doesn't matter, he says he's fine so he's fine, nothing to worry about mum. He's successful, married and hey you got your grandson."

"My dad got divorced." Mackenzie said absently, how did they not know that? _Everyone _knew that and these people were supposed to be family. The room went silent. "What? Is that a big thing?" The old hag shook her head, "Oh, no. We're just surprised, is all. Lilac, dear, please sit up now." The crazy girl sat up. Mackenzie smiled at her, and she scowled back. For some reason Mackenzie felt the need to continue, maybe he didn't like the fact his dad wasn't doing what he told him, "Yeah, and my mum remarried and she'll be having my sister in two of so months. Mum's going to call her Katie."

"Remarried? When did they get divorced?" The old hag frowned softly, "She doesn't sound like a nice woman if she's acting like that, and I remember when we met, I thought she was very nice." The smart looking man nodded, "You're right of course mum, but you know what they say, first impressions never last." Mackenzie's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying my mum isn't a good person? She's the best mother in the world." He added the last part angrily, this conversation was making him feel bad, and not in the same bad why he was feeling before.

His dad came back in. "Mackenzie pack up." He told Mackenzie turning to the others, "Have to go now, sorry, and please next time, can that girl not attack my son?" With that Gale pushed Mackenzie out of the door and slammed it closed.

**Reviews please. **


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Lilac stared at the floor. She didn't want to be here, it wasn't the same. Jack wasn't there because Zack wasn't and Jasper was just watching the completed tree discarded in the corner. "No one will ever use this tree you know. They say it's haunted." Lilac nodded at his mutterings, it was all she could do. They had joined together but now they were apart. Two out of five, the rest weren't going to ever star in the show. "They might. You always need a hanging tree." Lilac whispered, watching as the other children played their parts.

Jasper looked at her wide eyed. "It was you. You made the hanging tree. Lilac you…"

"Shut up! What does it matter? Franklin's dead and no one cares. It's just same old same old, Michael just laughed at me when I told him it was me. Why? Because he said Franklin wasn't hanged so it was stupid. I hate him! I hate Michael! I hate Shannon! I hate that boy named Mackenzie! It's all their fault. But my parents don't care. They think its Franklin's fault for attacking Mackenzie!" She could see Jasper's anger now.

"Then they're stupid." He grumbled.

"And guess what? To make up for the whole thing my parents invited him and his dad to the play. I mean agh!" Jasper nodded a smile on his face. "You know what? I think we should show him just what District 12 kids can do." Lilac frowned but then understanding soon dawned on her face, and she too smiled with malice. "Good idea, Jas,"

The night was cold. The people around him shivered and Mackenzie snickered as Stone rubbed his arms to stay warm. Mackenzie was in the best mood he's been in all night. His dad had promised him a stopover in District 2, 3 and 4 so he could do whatever he wanted. He couldn't wait to hit the game markets. So after all the deals were made Mackenzie had consented to attend the stupid show. Why his dad even wanted to go was beyond Mackenzie, after all just a few days ago he had been yelling about how they were all insane. Mackenzie had agreed, voting to leave as soon as possible. But no. They were still there, at least until tomorrow, because his dad had promised.

They sat down at the back. The hall was small and there were no tiered seatings or anything, the worst performance studio at his school was better than this place. He sat down with a sigh his dad looked at the seat next to the one Mackenzie had picked, a bag was on it. Mackenzie rolled his eyes and shoved the bag three chairs over, could never be too safe. His dad sat. "That was rude, Kenzie." Mackenzie shrugged; his dad didn't seem to mind.

After ten minutes of sitting in silence his dad turned to him. "How are you?" Mackenzie looked at his dad with a slight frown. "Why?" His dad's shoulder's dropped and his eyes rolled. "I want to know how you're doing. We haven't talked for a while." Mackenzie shrugged. "How is what doing? What do you want to know?"

"Anything, just tell me. I'm your father, this is my job."

"Being a father is a job?" His dad nodded. "Course it is."

"Well…I'm fine. Do you like my shoes?" Mackenzie asked showing his new shoes; he liked these ones better than most. He'd stuck his name along the soles. "Wow, where'd you get those?"

"Markets, cool aren't they." He said putting his feet back on the ground. "When's this going to start?" His dad checked his watch – another one after Mackenzie broke the gold one – and sighed. "Ten minutes to go. Where are the others?" Mackenzie didn't answer, he didn't like the 'others' and wished his dad didn't want to show off to them, if he really wanted to impress just invite them to District 2 already, in the house they lived in they'd think they'd ascended into heaven. Then Mackenzie remembered his dad had sold the house.

"What's the new one like?"

"The new what?"

"House. You said we were moving I want to know what it's like." His dad smiled and pulled out a picture. "It's in the middle of the city so it's different from what yoru used to. I think you'll like it though…" Mackenzie took the picture and looked at the graphic illustration of what it was going to look like. I was like his mum's new place, modern, he pushed it back. "Looks like mummy's house." His dad looked sad for moment then smiled. "A lot of places in District 1 look like this. District 2 just copied-"

There was a big sound and Mackenzie almost jumped. The people hurried to their seats. "Welcome! Welcome!" Yelled a fat old woman into a black thing in front of her face, the crowd cringed. She pulled the black object away from her face. "Why is it…? Oh, okay!" he heard over the speakers. Then she pulled the thing back on and talked into it normally. "Welcome everyone to our school annual performance. I'm Mrs Rydes and I'm the drama teacher. This is the story of the Dark Days Revolution, with a twist, I hope you all enjoy!" Then she breezed off the stage with a grin.

Mackenzie didn't think he was going to enjoy this at all.

He leaned into the chair and pulled out his phone. His dad looked at him and sighed. "Mackenzie…" he began reaching over slowly taking the phone out of Mackenzie's hand like it was a bomb ready to explode. Mackenzie watched it go, then glared at his dad. "It's rude." His dad whispered as the first performers went on stage. Mackenzie looked at his dad flatly, "Daddy," His voice was the best whiny one he had, which was very good, "Can I _please _have it back, no one will notice."

"No, Kenzie," His dad said softly, Mackenzie's fist bunched and he sat back up in his chair. He looked at his dad imploringly, "What? Why are always saying no? I don't like it daddy, go back to how you were before," His dad frowned, "Not right now Mackenzie, later, when we get home." Mackenzie pouted and leaned down it the seat.

There he was, Jasper would recognise the kid anywhere. Jasper moved forward, in his hands a plate of food. That's right; he was food boy for most of the play. He had four lines right at the end which weren't even anything and Mrs Rydes had just said that because she wanted everyone to have a line, even Franklin had had a… Jasper closed his eyes and forced all thoughts of Franklin from his mind. He couldn't think about it. He wasn't like Lilac, she was strong, she could think about Franklin and still smile. He couldn't. Franklin was his best friend. And now he was gone. Never to come back. Jasper blamed Mikael more than he blamed the District 2 kid but it didn't matter. The kid was the one wearing flashy clothes and walking around alone, at least he looked like he had been.

Jasper neared the boy and his dad, "…dad, can have more money, please? I'm almost out on all my cards…" His dad nodded absently, his gaze swept the room, looking for something. Jasper went to the people in front of him and leaned forward. "Hi, Mrs and Mr Campbell do you want some food?" Mrs Campbell looked up and smiled. "Sorry, Jas, I have my own," she shook her handbag for effect. "Dad, I want those." Mackenzie Hawthorne said. Jasper couldn't believe his luck; the boy was _asking_ to be doped.

"Are you sure Mackenzie? You normally complain about food like that. Ifs not made by a chief you know-"

"I know. I don't mind." His dad sighed and leaned forward, "Can I have two of those?" Jasper nodded and pulled out two tubs. "Three credits please." The man passed it over and handed the boy a tub. Jasper moved passed, a smile on his face.

Mackenzie didn't really understand the concept of savouring but that night me practiced it was supreme care. The food was called 'stew', Mackenzie had never had stew before but his dad had so when Mackenzie stuck out his tongue his dad drunk up the stew with a smile on his face. "You said you'd eat it." Mackenzie shook his head. "No I didn't." His dad shook his head. "Eat it before it gets cold."

He slowly sipped it. He waited. He looked down at it. The show was boring. He sipped it again. And then suddenly it was all gone. He realised that the food had entered his mouth. It was going through his body. He felt his stomach stir. He stood and rushed out of the room. He clasped his hand over his mouth and rushed into the toilets. He locked the door and vomited. His body shook with effort and he felt another wave come. He leant forward and vomited again. Then weak he coughed and leant against the cubicle wall.

Glancing at the toilet me grimaced. Standing he flushed it and walked out. Mackenzie walked to the basin and washed his face, then his mouth. He rushed out of the room and ran straight into someone. "Wha…?" The girl named Lilac Mellark scowled at him.


End file.
